An Obvious Revelation
by risenfromash
Summary: Freed has been hopelessly devoted to Laxus for what feels like forever. Laxus has never had an actual relationship and isn't sure why he feels unfulfilled by the ladies he spends time with. What happens when it dawns on Laxus that Freed has a thing for him? A one shot divided into short 'chapters' YAOI- Expect MATURE SEXUAL CONTENT in context, of course :)
1. Chapter 1

_**Risenfromash:**_ You know how it is when you get a new OTP… the couple hijacks your thoughts for a good while. It's like this with me and Freed/Laxus. I'm not even a big fan of BL and yaoi because I tend to find it too OOC for my taste a lot of the time, but I _am_ a _sucker_ for the hopelessly devoted. So here is my tribute to Fraxus. It's intended to be a one-shot but is going to be split into parts (maybe four in total?- not quite sure yet). You can assume this story takes place sometime after the Grand Magic Games, but I don't intend to have any spoilers in it so no worries if you aren't caught up on the latest canon.

 **Part 1:**

Freed sighed and looked into the bottom of his empty pint glass contemplating whether or not he should succumb to his urge to have another. It would help to numb the irritation he felt at watching Laxus with that woman. Freed really disliked her. She wore too much makeup and her laugh was obnoxious, but the worst part was how she _constantly_ had her hand on his arm as though Laxus was _hers._ She'd known him for how long now? Two days? _No,_ Freed thought. _This is day three. We got here on Tuesday and it's Thursday now, so three days._ _Three whole days and she thinks she knows what's best for him._ Just thinking about her agitated him, but he knew that even if it hadn't been her it would have been some other woman. Some other woman who saw Laxus as a piece of meat she wanted to sink her fangs into. _They're all the same,_ he thought. The power that the Lightning Dragon Slayer so effortlessly wielded in combination with his muscular, well-built physique meant that anywhere the Thunder Legion went on missions there was at least one obnoxious female who tried to dig her claws into Laxus.

 _As though you're any different than those girls,_ the rune wizard told himself. It was at least the twelfth time today that he had internally struggled with his desire for his friend. He told himself that his attraction for Laxus was different than that of the floozies that would latch onto him within moments of meeting him. Freed liked to think his attraction to Laxus grew out of Laxus' less obvious attributes: his loyalty to his friends, his dry sense of humor, and his live and let live attitude. But a part of Freed tore himself apart daily because despite his appreciation of those deeper, more private aspects of Laxus Freed couldn't help but enjoy the same things that attracted the man's female admirers: his bulging biceps, his unwavering self-confidence, that deep, sexy voice… _Sexy?!,_ Freed thought. _Oh, gods, I must have had too much to drink._

"Laxus, I'm going to call it a night," the green haired man said to the lightning mage who was sitting across the table, a blond woman hanging off of him.

"Really? It's so early?!" Laxus' companion laughed. "Laxus, you're not going to let him turn in _this_ early are you?" The woman did not wait for Laxus' reply, but continued. "You're _supposed_ to be celebrating your victory!"

Freed shrugged as he stood. "Thank you, but it's just a day on the job for us. Besides, I don't believe I was of that much assistance today. Sometimes, there is a great need for rune sorcery and some days it proves itself to not be that useful."

Laxus shook his head and spoke to the woman beside him. "Freed isn't much of a partier, but I assure you he feels pride in our successes." A small grin appears on the lightning mage's face. "He's just far too humble for his own good."

"Yeah, Freedie _totally_ saved my babies' asses with that quick swashbuckling," Bickslow shouted from across the bar where he was playing darts with some of the locals. "Hey, you got a spell for dart throwing success? I'm sucking tonight."

Freed shook his head and excused himself, heading upstairs to his hotel room. He was sharing a room with Bickslow, as was tradition. Evergreen got her own room owing to her different gender and Laxus got his own room because… well, he was _Laxus_. He was their leader and as such the team extended to him certain benefits that they didn't allow themselves, such as the privacy required to bring a 'guest' to their room. If asked Freed and Bickslow would claim that this sleeping arrangement was because the lightning mage snored incurably, but it was really because ladies liked Laxus and the group felt that, at times, Laxus deserved to partake in the attention his fan girls offered him.

Bickslow also liked girls, but he didn't seem to crave the release like Laxus did who would periodically invite a girl to his room for the night. It seemed to the others that this behavior kept the dragon slayer sane and so all of them, even Ever, encouraged it never once suggesting that perhaps Laxus should settle down with someone rather than sleeping with random women he met in the towns and cities they visited while on missions.

Freed entered the hotel room he was sharing with Bickslow and began to undress. He had a couple large bruises on his back where he had been thrown backwards by an air magic blast from one of the bandits they had fought. Freed didn't pay the unsightly purple blotches any mind. He believed that if a Fairy Tail wizard wasn't covered in lacerations, abrasions, and bruises he wasn't working hard enough. He slipped into plaid pajama pants, performed his evening toilet, and went to bed.

As his head hit the pillow he heard the obnoxious cackling of the woman who had attached herself to _his_ Laxus. He couldn't make out any of the conversation she was having with his friend, but he knew where it was going. If she was on this floor it meant Laxus was going to sleep with her. The thought made Freed sick to his stomach and he was sure this woman would be a loud one which meant if Freed stayed here the upset in his gut would only worsen. Freed had once had the unfortunate experience of having a room that shared a wall with Laxus' room and the things he had heard and _felt_ as his bed rattled from the vibrations coming from the other side of the wall had been distinctly unpleasant.

 _On second thought, maybe I'll go have a bath,_ Freed thought, not wanting to have to listen to what seemed like the inevitable coitus between his friend and the woman he disliked. He grabbed a robe from the closet, tied it around his waist and exited the room to go to the hotel's bathhouse and spa. It was late on a weeknight, so the bath house was empty except for a couple old men in one corner of the bath. Freed nodded politely to them as he removed his clothing and entered the water. The sensation of the warmth and steam immediately relaxed him till he almost forgot why he was uptight.

 _You have no right to be jealous,_ Freed reminded himself. _Laxus isn't like you. He likes girls. You want him to be happy don't you?_ It was the exact same conversation he had with himself every single time Laxus had a lady spend the night in his room. Freed took a deep breath and plunged his entire body beneath the surface, his emerald hair forming a shape on the water reminiscent of an octopus. Then he raised his head above the surface and smoothed his sopping wet hair back from his face. That helped him to clear his mind and focus less on his jealousy and more on why he disliked Laxus' one night stands. For one thing, he felt Laxus deserved far better; none of these women really _knew_ Laxus. The grandson of Fairy Tail's current guild master was an extremely challenging person to get to know and in Freed's mind that made none of these women worthy of his… what was it? It wasn't love, and he was pretty sure that Laxus and the women knew that, too, but there was still something special there that they weren't worthy of in Freed's eyes, even if he didn't know what to call it. Freed fought the part of him that made images pop into his head of a half-lidded, lust-filled Laxus sweating and panting over him. Freed groaned, and the men in the corner of the bath looked over at him.

"Sorry," Freed said. "Indigestion."

The men nodded and returned to their quiet conversation.

 _He deserves someone who really understands him and_ loves _him,_ Freed thought. But was Laxus unhappy? Freed wasn't sure. Having one night stands was obviously far easier than the difficult business of maintaining a relationship. All he had to do was think of Gray and Juvia to think of why sometimes just having sex and nothing more could be appealing. He was sure that Gray wasn't even having sex with Juvia yet the two spent what seemed like an endless amount of time bickering and trying to please one another and having misunderstand after misunderstanding. They spent more time attempting to sort things out their feelings for one another than they did moving forward or so it seemed.

 _Maybe I just need to find someone to sleep with,_ Freed thought. _I only have these feelings for Laxus because I have no one else who's that close to me._ But Freed couldn't think of anyone else who interested him or made him feel remotely how he felt about Laxus. _I could have sex with a random guy._ _Maybe having that release would clear my head,_ he told himself. Having sex was, after all, a biological need. But this thought angered him even more because it reminded him of the other reason he didn't like Laxus sleeping with women. Freed was terrified that Laxus might get one of these random women pregnant and then his friend's entire life would be forced to change, because knowing Laxus he would insist on 'doing the right thing' which would mean marrying the woman and settling down with her to raise the child. Freed knew that Laxus would never abandon his child the way Laxus' father had abandoned him. Freed respected this, but he feared that it would mean Laxus would end up committed to someone he didn't love and Freed considered that to be nothing short of tragic because more than anything else he wanted his friend to be happy.

Freed felt like ripping his hair out, starting with those lightning bolt shaped wisps that insisted on sticking right out of his skull like some kind of insect antennae. _Ugh,_ thought Freed. _I can't continue to live like this. Maybe I'm going to have to leave the team._ The thought of leaving the team he and Laxus had founded was such a foreign idea to him that he struggled to visualize an alternative to the Thunder Legion. Maybe Shadow Gear could use some support? Or maybe that new girl, what was her name, maybe she would feel more comfortable if an experienced male wizard accompanied her on missions.

Freed spent a long time considering the possibilities, but the thought of leaving Bickslow, Evergreen, and Laxus made his chest ache as though someone he knew had died. _I'll just have to tough it out,_ Freed told himself. _What alternative do I have?_

What continued to nag at Freed's heart was that no matter what he did these feelings for Laxus didn't ever seem to go away, and he should be a mature adult and move on from it. But despite Freed's apparent maturity moving on didn't seem like something he could do. When it came to Laxus he was like a child with a crush. He _idolized_ him. _Only because he's so damn godlike,_ Freed murmured thinking of the way Laxus walked into a room, not showy like an egomaniac and not timidly like Freed himself. There was nothing timid about Laxus; self-confidence oozed from every pore of his body.

Freed dipped his head into the water again and when he reached up to brush the hair from his face and open his eyes he saw that Laxus had entered the bath.

As Laxus removed his robe and towel and approached the edge of the water, Freed took in the image of his teammate's body, rippled with muscles, and then, fearing he had too obviously been gawking at it he looked away.

"I see you weren't actually retiring for the evening, just wanting to get away from my date," Laxus said before letting out a satisfied groan as he descended into the warm water.

"I went to my room, but couldn't sleep," Freed replied. "I'm surprised you're already done," Freed found himself saying before he considered that it might be rude.

Laxus grunted. "We didn't." Those two small words made Freed's heart leap for joy, and he immediately felt shame for it.

"Why?"

"She was kind of trashy," Laxus said sounding more than a little annoyed. "And she dances like a retard."

Freed laughed. He had also noticed that the woman's movements lacked grace, and though he would have chosen a much more diplomatic way of describing it he chose not to lecture his friend. One of the things Freed really appreciated about Laxus was that Laxus didn't try to change people; he let people be who they were and tried not to judge them. The Lightning Dragon Slayer felt that each person was responsible for their own actions and that those actions were what said the most about a person. That was why even though the guild had long since forgiven him for his transgressions against them at the time of the Miss Fairy Tail contest he still hadn't fully forgiven himself.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Freed lied and immediately felt a pang in his chest. He was never good at lying especially to Laxus.

Freed closed his eyes enjoying the bath and trying to calm the guilt he felt for lying to his friend, and while his eyes were closed Laxus settled in to the vacant space at Freed's side. When the green haired Fairy Tail member's eyes opened he was startled by the close proximity of his love. For a big guy, Laxus could be quite dexterous at times and it amazed Freed how he could manage to move through the water so quickly without having made a sound.

The two men sat there in silence, allowing the mere presence of the other to provide them with comfort. Laxus considered himself to be a loner, but hanging out with the Thunder Legion brought him a great deal of joy. They were the family he had chosen for himself and while he would never admit it, he felt lost when they weren't around. Those months of exile when he was excommunicated from the guild had been more difficult for him than he admitted to anyone. At that time he had done a lot of soul searching and had come to realize that his dependence on the others was not the weakness he had previously thought it was. It was then that Laxus noticed that even the other tough guys he knew allowed themselves the fragility of relying on other people for support. Gajeel had Levy and Salamander had that damn cat of his… and Lucy. There was no way you could convince Laxus that Lucy's celestial spirits were useful enough to justify her accompanying Natsu on practically _every single_ mission. Clearly, it was something else she offered the team and Laxus was pretty sure he knew what it was. He knew that Natsu and Lucy weren't officially boyfriend and girlfriend, but relationships between Fairy Tail members tended to always proceed at an odd pace. Two members would start spending time together either at the guild hall, while on missions, or both and that could go on for years and then one day all of a sudden it would be like a levy breaking and the couple would be all over each other like they just couldn't take the sexual tension anymore. Thinking about it made Laxus grunt. He couldn't image that happening to him. He'd slept with Cana a time or two, years ago when he didn't know what he was doing, but none of the women in the guild really excited him. He couldn't cope with anyone as emotionally vulnerable as Lucy, Juvia was fucking crazy, and he barely knew those purple haired chicks. He found himself wanting to call them by each other's names so he avoided talking to them at all costs. Erza had a kinky side, but most of the time was too preachy about honor and values and what it meant to be a guild for Laxus to ever be able to relax around her. Levy was too into Gajeel to notice anyone else…

 _No wonder I don't have a girlfriend,_ Laxus thought. _I must be too picky._ The women he'd spend the night with while on a mission all seemed shallow, which was fine for a one night stand, but even the women he fought beside and admired weren't his type. This woman tonight, Brisha, had been all wrong for him. She had talked way too much and she had said the phrase, "You know?" way too many times. It had driven him nuts and when she told him that she was gonna 'make him feel good, you know?' it was more than he could stand. His mind had been flooded with images of her talking nonstop during sex, and he knew he couldn't handle that. Didn't the woman ever shut up? Even Bickslow didn't talk that much.

 _Maybe there's something wrong with me,_ Laxus thought, embarrassed that he had feigned a migraine to get out of bringing her back to his room. _Maybe I'm destined to be like Guildarts, a rolling stone._ _But hadn't he even fallen in love and gotten married_ once _?_ Laxus could have sworn the crash magician had said that he had been married to Cana's mother at one point.

"Something wrong?" Freed asked him and Laxus realized that he must have been shaking his head as he thought.

"Nothin' important," Laxus answered crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

"I know you're lying," Freed said gently.

Laxus opened one eye to look at the rune mage. "Like how you lied about liking Brisha."

Freed sputtered.

"You never like any of them," Laxus said flatly. "I'd feel a lot better if I could find a woman you approved of, but I can't seem to find one. Or is it that strong moral compass of yours that can't accept my one night stands?"

Butterflies were swimming around inside of Freed. Laxus rarely talked about stuff like this and this conversation was getting dangerously close to uncovering a truth Freed preferred to have hidden.

"I don't have an issue with you having sex," Freed said trying to laugh easily and unsure whether or not he had been successful at it. "It's not my place to judge, but I can't help but feel like you deserve a lot better than any of the women you pick up." Freed had to fight the urge to say more. It was hard for Freed to keep his desire for Laxus locked up inside of him, so challenging that he was getting aroused simply by sitting next to him. _Thank the gods it's dark out here,_ Freed thought.

"Hhhmmm," Laxus murmured and Freed couldn't determine if it was in response to what he had said or simply a reaction to the relaxation caused by the soothing water.

The two were silent for an immeasurable period of time simply enjoying the comfort offered by the stillness of the water and the quiet of the night. At some point the old men exited telling the Fairy Tail mages good night and they had, in turn, wished them pleasant sleep. This had left only Freed and Laxus alone together. It crossed Freed's mind how close he was to Laxus' naked body, and immediately Freed scolded himself for thinking this about his heterosexual friend.

Out of nowhere, Laxus suddenly said, "That was one hell of a spell you cast today against the wind bastard. What'd you name it?"

"'Total Encasement Trap Sword Technique'," Freed answered.

"That's a mouthful," Laxus commented.

Freed laughed. "What about your 'Lightning Bolt Hemisphere Crash Embodiment'?"

"Yeah, I probably could have done better."

Freed nodded. "The new attacks you come up with midbattle always suffer from ridiculous names."

"I'm not as good with words as you are," Laxus said. "But, damn, I thought we were done for when they pulled out that cannon! Who the fuck has a cannon laying around?"

"I know," Freed said. "It was an antique, too. It should be preserved in a museum not used! They're lucky they didn't blow themselves up."

"It's morons like that that keep us in business." Laxus pauses. "Did you see that one staring at Ever's tits?"

"Yeah, that's what left him open to my attack, so I guess it was for the best, but he should really be ashamed of himself," Freed commented.

"Not to defend the bandits we pummeled today, but most men enjoy looking."

Freed felt hurt. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just that you have amazing willpower… or amazing peripheral vision or something. You never check anyone out."

"I'm not _inhuman_. I check people out," Freed said.

"Really?" Laxus was fascinated. "When?"

"Just today," Freed said and then immediately regretted his words.

Laxus began to list all the women they had crossed patches with throughout the day starting with the waitress who had served them breakfast and ending with Brisha. In turn, Freed denied having been attracted to any of them and mumbled things about how it didn't really matter who he had been checking out.

"No, Freed. I genuinely want to know what your type is," Laxus said laughing. "I've never been able to figure it out. And if I can figure out _your_ type maybe it'll help me figure out what my problem is and why I can't bring myself to take Mirajane out like I told you I was going to."

"I don't have a type. I find such things distract me from my work," Freed said.

"Freed, you can't work twenty-four seven. I won't let you. You need to have some down time, some _fun_. You know what I mean?" Before Freed had time to answer Laxus blurted out, "Wait a second… are you and Bickslow?"

"No!" Freed shouted.

"Oh, ok. For a second I thought maybe there was a reason you two told me I needed my own room."

"You snore," Freed said simply.

"So people tell me," the lightning mage said and the two men returned to sitting in silence.

Eventually, Laxus yawned, "Well, I'm beat. I'm gonna go to bed."

"I'm going to stay in for a few more minutes," Freed said knowing he couldn't very well leave the bath with his friend without Laxus noticing that Freed was terribly aroused something Freed was confident was a major bathhouse taboo, especially when it was only two men in the bath together.

Laxus walked through the water, stepped out of the pool, and stood there drying off. The man had an enormous penis and the sight of it made Freed feel weak in the knees and his cock even more rock hard.

"See you tomorrow," Laxus said wrapping a towel around his waist.

"The train leaves at seven forty-five," Freed reminded him and Laxus grunted as he pulled on his robe.

"'Night," the lightning mage said as he exited.

Freed remained in the water and tried to think of anything besides the Lightning Dragon Slayer, but nothing he did could deter his brain from the image of Laxus' chiseled body glistening with sweat and bath water. Freed groaned. It seemed like his attraction to the dragon slayer grew worse every day and today he would have to break one of his rules. He was going to have to pleasure himself and he knew that all he would be thinking of the entire time was of his friend. Tomorrow he would carry the guilt of having objectified his Laxus, but Freed had to do something. He couldn't go on like this, and so with a sigh, the rune wizard resigned himself to going to his room and fantasized about the man he loved while touching himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2:

Laxus returned to his room feeling unsettled. He tried to convince himself it was because he was lonely and that maybe it had been rash to send Brisha away. Maybe she wouldn't have really yakked the _entire_ time they were doing it. Then again maybe she would have. He frowned as he disrobed and pulled on a pair of boxers to sleep in. He told himself that he shouldn't be so desperate for sex that he was willing to do it with someone like her. _She wasn't even his type._ He lay back onto the bed. What _was_ his type? He had asked Freed what the rune wizard's type was, but Laxus had to admit he felt as though he didn't have a good handle on what it was that attracted him to women. He hated to think his only prerequisite to dating someone was that they were willing to have sex on the first or second date. He had never meant to become _that guy_. Casual sex was one thing, but he didn't want to be like those Blue Pegasus guys who spent their entire day trying to weasel their way into ladies underwear. An image of Ichiya dressed in a woman's thong popped into his head and he gagged. He would never admit it but that man terrified him more than the Wizard Saints or the damn Magic Council put together.

Laxus tried to reassure himself that while he enjoyed the company of women he wasn't a predatory creeper like the man who constantly commented on Titania's parfum in a very suggestive way.

 _Maybe I just need to settle down and actually have a real relationship,_ he thought. He certainly wasn't getting any younger and he didn't _dislike_ the thought of being with only one person. But it took a special kind of person to deal with being involved with a Fairy Tail wizard. Mages were often away for long periods of time on missions, they could easily end up maimed or killed at any moment, the jewels were inconsistent, and many of them suffered from a bit of narcissism. _Not me though_ , Laxus thought. _I don't just_ think _I'm the best. I know it. And so does the old man and Freed and Bickslow and Ever. It's just Natsu who's too dumb to figure it out._

All this serious thinking was counteracting the muscle relaxation he had gotten by visiting the bath so Laxus told himself to quit being a pansy worrying about his love life, or lack thereof, and to instead go to sleep. The only problem was that his brain wasn't listening. It refused to shut off and since he seemed unable to clear his mind he switched his focus to his favorite topic, the antics of his partners in the Thunder Legion. What _was_ up with Bickslow's dart throwing tonight? Half the time he hadn't even hit the target. And when the hell was Ever going to actually admit that she was head over heels for Elfman's manliness? Laxus had already told her he approved. It went without saying that he and Bickslow and Freed had to sign off on any gentleman who wished to date Evergreen, she was after all, _theirs_. _We're a possessive lot,_ Laxus thought, recalling how people looked at the four of them a tad screwy whenever Freed referred to him as 'his' Laxus. _You never hear Erza or Gray proclaim that Natsu's 'their' Flamebrain._ It made his chest feel warm when he thought of how much his team cared about one another and how close they really were. They could tell each other _anything_ , but the great thing was that most of the time they didn't need to. Laxus didn't particular like talking. He felt like most things should simply go without saying, like how he would do anything for his team and his fellow guild members.

Which is why he was feeling as though it was mighty important for him to figure out what Freed's type was, because if _he_ himself couldn't get laid maybe he could at least find a way to show his best friend a good time, and if there was ever a man who needed a 'good time' it was Freed. Laxus wasn't even sure Freed had ever _had_ sex. He knew he came close to it at least once, that one time when the two of them went on a double date with the Hostiss sisters, but Penelope and Freed were too shy to do much other than hold hands and kiss and it had been too cute for Laxus to give him a hard time about… _But_ damn it _,_ grumbled Laxus. _That was the only time I've managed to get him alone with a girl overnight._

Laxus knew there was a strong possibility that Freed 'played for the other team,' but Laxus thought if that were the case Freed would have had the courage to at least tell the Thunder Legion the truth. It wasn't like they were going to judge him, they put up with that crazy dancing mage who was always wanting to try out his X-rated dance moves on them.

Laxus was frustrated. He wasn't sure if he should assume his friend was gay or not and that made it very difficult to play matchmaker. _Hhhmmm,_ he thought. _What does Mirajane do in situations like this?_ After some debate he decided that Fairy Tail's most notorious matchmaker wasn't worried about it and just tried to pair any lonely person with whoever else she felt was lonely at the time. Laxus was actually surprised Mirajane hadn't tried pairing Lilly up with someone yet. _She wouldn't care that it was an interspecies romance,_ he thought with a grin. The takeover wizard was notoriously ruthless when it came to pairing up her guildmates.

 _So, if Freed isn't into any of the women that were around us today,_ he said recalling Freed's answers earlier that evening. _It means it must be somebody back in Magnolia._ He thought of every woman in the guild, but none seemed like a good fit. _Ok, then he's gay or bi or something and he's obviously not into Bickslow, and who can blame him, the guys all tongue… very disturbing, really._ He started thinking about their day. _He said he had checked someone out_ today _, though._ Today. _Who the fuck was around us today?!_ It certainly wasn't the bandits they fought. _Those were some ugly ass mo'fo's,_ Laxus thought to himself. There were some men in the bar and none of them seemed too memorable… the ugly thieves, and their own team… and if he wasn't into Bickslow…

Like an ultra highspeed slideshow on the lacrimavision images appeared before his eyes one after another of his best friend, Freed: Freed by his side doing as instructed, Freed patiently going along with Laxus' ideas even when they were terrible, Freed bringing him breakfast in bed when he was sick, Freed playing the wallflower while Laxus danced with several different young ladies at the Magic Ball, Freed blushing when Laxus paid him a complement in front of their fellow guild members. _It can't be_ , Laxus thought. No _way. He would have told me. Wouldn't he?_

Laxus recalled the time he'd been hit by a magical malady that had severely lowered his immune system causing him to catch multiple nasty cold bugs all at the same time causing him to be bed ridden. The first week Freed never left his bedside except to brew him tea or make him soup or broth. And he'd always bring it into the room on a tray with a vase with a little white rose in it. Laxus had called him 'butler' all week as a joke. Then when the second week rolled around and Laxus had still not recovered Freed had abruptly ordered Ever and Bickslow to stand watch at 'his' Laxus' bedside while he traveled to get Porlyusica. According to rumor, the rune wizard had arrived at her house in the middle of the night and insisted at swordpoint that she come with him immediately to save 'his' Laxus who was on the verge of perishing. _Hhhhmm,_ murmured Laxus. _Maybe that isn't normal._ Until now, Laxus had always assumed Freed's seemingly odd behavior was normal for people who were more emotional in nature. But was Freed _that_ emotional about things that didn't involve Laxus? The lightning mage had no way of being sure.

Then there was that time they had all been drunk and playing Truth or Dare because Mirajane had suggested it. _Of course,_ she _was the one to suggest it,_ thought Laxus _._ And Cana had been making all the guys kiss each other. "I'll let you pick who… but it's gotta be a dude," she had said. Laxus had looked around at the faces of his friends and shrugged. _Gods, what did I say then_? _Something about it being Freed's 'lucky day',_ recalled Laxus. _Oh, no! No wonder he hasn't told me._ _Shit, but he wouldn't have liked me_ that _long ago. That was back when we were teenagers._ But, Laxus remembered looking at Freed as their lips parted and a strange expression being on his friend's face and a hint of crimson across his cheeks and… 

"Hooooly shit!" Laxus shouted sitting upright in bed. He got up and paced. It _couldn't_ be. Freed would have told him. He wouldn't have just stayed by his side enduring that kind of pain like some kind of masochist would he? Laxus _had_ to know, and while Bickslow was an idiot, Ever was pretty perceptive…

The lightning mage marched out of his room, realized he only had underwear on, turned back around, threw on his robe, and then proceeded down the hall to Ever's room and banged on her door.

"Go away. I told you. I'm not interested!" Ever shouted.

"Uh… it's me," Laxus said awkwardly wondering who it was she thought was rapping on her door in the middle of the night.

"Oh! Sorry," she said and he could hear her running over to open the door. Seeing the stormy expression on his face she asked if something was wrong as she as she ushered him into her room with a wave of her arm.

Laxus, his brow deeply furrowed, walked in and sat down in a chair by the fireplace. "I don't know. I need to talk to you about something."

Evergreen knew that Laxus wasn't one to waste words, so if he felt he needed to talk the subject was sure to be important.

"You want something to drink?" She asked trying to make the man more at ease.

Laxus shook his head but held out his hand at the same time. Ever retrieved a beer from the minifridge and popped the lid off it and put it in Laxus' hand. He wasn't acting normal. _Maybe I better tell Freed._ _He always seems to know what to do when Laxus is out of sorts_ , the leprechaun thought.

"Ever…" Laxus said her name before bringing the glass bottle to his lips and downing about a third of it in one go. "I think Freed has a thing for me."

A smile spread across her face. _Men really are stupid_ , she thought.

"Just worked that out, did ya?" she asked as she grabbed a beer for herself.

"He _told_ you?" Laxus said, his eyes the size of planets.

"Honey, he didn't have to _tell_ me," she said. "It's been pretty obvious for a long time."

"Shit," Laxus said, but why was he feeling flattered? Was he _smiling?_

Ever stared at her friend and arched an eyebrow. "Well, I have to get my beauty sleep. See you in the morning," she said walking to the door.

"Wait! I haven't even finished my beer!" Laxus pointed out, not getting up from his chair.

Ever nodded and walked over to him and removed his beer from his hand and walked back to the door with it.

Laxus frowned and got up and walked to the door.

"But!" Laxus protested.

Ever placed the beer in his hand and shoved him out the door sighing, "Honey, I can't tell you what to do. Deep down inside you're going to know what you want to do." She yawned. "Did you _seriously_ not know?"

Laxus shook his head.

"Even after he asked you to dance?" Ever was looking at him like he was a dumbass and Laxus was beginning to think that he probably was. She shook her head. "Good night and good luck, _ya big idiot_ ," she said. "I'll see you in the morning." And with that she shut the door right in the face of one of Fiore's most powerful wizards.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Risenfromash:**_ I hate spoilers, but I feel the need to tell you that this chapter contains MATURE content. You have been warned.

Part 3:

Freed had hoped that the tincture of time might relax him, that he might be able to wish away the tension he felt in his every cell whenever he was near his friend, but it didn't. So, he headed to his room knowing that before he could sleep he would be setting an enchantment on the door to prevent Bickslow's entry and would be forced to set to work gaining his sexual release. He wasn't ashamed of masturbating. He figured it was a natural part of being human, but he felt great disappointment knowing that he would be spilling his seed to the image of Laxus. There was simply no way that the rune mage could stop his brain from imagining Laxus, as the Dragon Slayer epitomized all his sexual desire. The green-haired mage found Laxus' strong build and unwavering gaze so sexy that it would have been enough to make him weak in the knees had he been a woman, but instead of swooning, Freed did what he considered the more manly thing. He would endure Laxus' charms as best he could under the veil of friendship and then would occasionally sulk off to pleasure himself in secret and endure the guilt thereafter. And it was terrible guilt because every time the green-haired mage thought of Laxus while he pleasured himself he felt that he was betraying his best friend's trust.

In their youth back before Laxus began sleeping with women, Freed had allowed himself to fantasize more freely and on a couple occasions had even come close to confessing his love to his friend, but as time went on it became more and more clear that all the truth would do was cause a world of heartache and upset for them both. Now he looked back on that time as one of great naiveté for ever thinking that Laxus might mirror his affection.

Knowing that he was once again going to betray his friend's trust put the rune mage in a terrible mood as he walked from the bath to his hotel room with his eyes cast downward, already experiencing the guilt for what he was about to do.

 _I'll say a prayer for forgiveness_ , Freed told himself as he passed by the door of Laxus' hotel room. The rune wizard, preoccupied with his thoughts, didn't hear the footsteps approaching the other side of the door and was completely caught off guard when the door flung open and he was yanked inside by his arm.

"What the hell?" Freed exclaimed staring at Laxus who had a stern glare of determination in his eyes and a tight hold of the rune wizard's arm.

"You know I don't like lies," Laxus said angrily tossing Freed onto the bed as though he were a ragdoll. "It makes for a bad team."

"What are you talking about?!" Freed asked. Laxus would have been a strong man even without the additional power granted by his Dragon Slayer lacrima, but Freed had never feared Laxus until that moment.

"I asked you what your type was and you said you didn't know," Laxus whispered angrily as he got on the bed and hovered over the rune mage, a hand pressed into the bed on either side of his body entrapping him.

As the two wizards' eyes met, Freed's heart was overwhelmed with concern for his friend; he was acting erratic. _Maybe he has a fever,_ Freed thought. _Maybe he overheated in the bath. I should get him a cool rag for his head._ Meanwhile, Laxus studied Freed's eyes for a moment and found nothing there but the sweet, well-meaning honesty that the rune wizard always exuded in abundance.

"I think you know perfectly well what you like," the lightning mage mumbled as he drew back from the other wizard giving him some room.

"Huh?" Freed asked confused.

Laxus snorted, "See, you don't deny it."

"What? What are you-" Freed's query was cut short by Laxus' lips recklessly crashing into his before retreating.

"Now, let's see if I'm right," Laxus whispered as he reached up to untie Freed's robe.

"Laxus, what are you doing?" Freed whispered back as he squirmed.

"Seeing if my hypothesis is correct," the lightning mage told him before diving in once again, this time closing his eyes and letting his lips linger on the soft, plumpness of the other man's. Freed thrashed a little, but didn't push Laxus away. _What is happening? He's kissing me._ Laxus _is kissing me. He must be drunk, very drunk or maybe he's under the influence of a wizard_. Freed attempted to scan the room for a member of a dark guild, but it was made difficult because Laxus' kisses were making him feel dizzy. _If some evil doer wanted to catch me with my pants down this would be the way to do it_ , Freed thought. Laxus released his friend's lips and gazed upon his flushed and panting companion while his hands crept toward the thick white hotel towel that covered Freed's most private area. Freed, his perceptions numbed by the thrill of the moment, realized what was happening a moment too late and closed his eyes, turning his head away in shame as Laxus unfurled the towel which had draped his erect, hard organ. Laxus let out a whistle and Freed grimaced as though being scolded.

"Laxus, can I please go?" Freed asked sounding much less like a powerful wizard than he felt he should.

"No," Laxus said flatly as he contemplated the situation he found himself in. _Freed, my best friend, has a crush on me. He's a man, and I'm a man… but I_ do _think of him as an attractive man._ Laxus narrowed his eyes. _And there is no truer friend. He has always been there for me. Always by my side…_ This made Laxus' heart ache a little. Had his friend had these feelings for him the entire time and he had been too oblivious to realize it? Laxus didn't want to comprehend how much that must have hurt.

Laxus found himself leaning over and gently kissing the underside of Freed's chin. It wasn't exactly a romantic kiss, he rationalized. _But it isn't one of those 'greeting' kisses either… and I liked doing it,_ Laxus thought with a gulp. _I_ _ **like**_ _kissing Freed._ His insides were churning. What did this mean? The implications were too large for him to contemplate. Instead, he leaned in and kissed Freed on the lips again and watched as Freed's body tremored ever so slightly and his cheeks turned a rosy color. _He really does have a thing for me_ , Laxus thought with amusement. _It's really hot. Hot?!_

Freed stared back at his friend. The two embraced rarely and until today had only kissed once during what was to become the last game of Truth or Dare Laxus ever agreed to play.

"Laxus? What are you doing?!" Freed asked staring at his friend.

"Kissing you, Brainiac," Laxus said sitting up and releasing his friend from the prison of his arms.

"But… why?" Freed whispered leaning closer to him.

Laxus wanted to say that he needed to know for sure how Freed felt about him, but that didn't seem to be in doubt any longer. What he really wanted to understand was why Freed's romantic affection was not upsetting or repulsing him. Shouldn't it? Wasn't that how one man was supposed to feel when another man desired him in a romantic, sexual, more-than-a-friend kind of a way?

 _If I'm normal… why do I feel excited, happy, more_ alive _seeing him like this? Why do I want to pin him down and kiss him again…_ Laxus' thoughts swirled around in his brain, a torrent of confusion and self-doubt. Did he really like Freed or was as he just frustrated with women? Or had he never really liked women in the first place? The questions in his mind seemed too large for him to answer at the moment, but there was no denying that he was flattered by Freed's attraction to him and the more he kissed him the more he was liking it.

 _No girl has ever been_ this _adorable,_ Laxus thought. It wasn't all that different kissing a man and what was foreign about it seemed to be negated by the fact that Freed was his best friend. He reached for Freed's face and gently grabbed it by the chin, turning it back toward him. _He loves me and he was never going to say a word_ , thought Laxus as he once more stared into the eyes of his friend.

"What are you doing?" Freed whispered once again.

"Making out with you," Laxus said softly. The admission was easier than he had expected.

"But, you like girls!" Freed whispered back angrily as he tried to push the other man off of him.

"I do, but there's a certain rune wizard with cute little lightning bolt hair horns that I might also like," Laxus said smirking.

"You don't know what you're saying," Freed said looking hurt. It wasn't like his Laxus to say things he didn't mean, but there was no way that Laxus could have feelings for him. _Laxus likes girls not other men. Laxus isn't romantic and wouldn't care for an emotional person like me. Laxus could have any one he wanted… like a pin up model from_ Sorcerer's Weekly _. There's no way he would choose me even if I were a woman._

Laxus frowned. It was as though he could read his friends thoughts.

"I don't know what I'm saying, huh?" Laxus said suddenly pressing his entire body into Freed's as he untied his own robe. Laxus bucked his hips into Freed's groin making friction between their manhoods and it was too much for Freed to fight. He sighed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head overwhelmed by pleasure. Laxus let out a groan and again pressed his lips into Freed's. The rune wizard was no longer fighting him, his lips parting ever so slightly. Laxus took full advantage of this, slipping his tongue into the other's man mouth. Freed's eyes grew large, but not as large as they grew a moment later when one of Laxus' hands wormed around Freed's arousal.

Freed began panting. Was Laxus really touching him there? Could his friend really be interested in him? _No, he's just doing this to make me feel better. He's realized I'm attracted to him and he wants me to not be embarrassed so he decided to mess around with me and then let me down easy because he's a nice guy and doesn't want to destroy our friendship,_ Freed told himself as Laxus began to slide his strong hands up and down Freed's cock. This stimulus combined with the feeling of his love's tongue plunging into him was quelling his reasoning. All he could think about was how good it felt. _There isn't a word to describe how good this feels_ , Freed thought before involuntarily throwing his head back and moaning. _This is ecstacy. Being here like this with him, it must be a dream._ What did it matter if he was simply the substitute for an acceptable female? Laxus, the only person he had ever loved, was kissing him and touching him in places he had never dared imagine he would.

Laxus' lips released the smaller wizard. "Damn you, Freed. Why didn't you tell me?" groaned Laxus as he rhythmically massaged Freed's arousal.

"You… like… girls…" Freed panted as juices began to ooze from him.

"You're close enough," Laxus chuckled.

Freed grunted his disapproval of Laxus' comment but said nothing. He was still sure that this had to be some kind of dream or maybe a prank by the other Legion members, though a joke this cruel would be unlike them. If they understood that he loved Laxus they wouldn't play with his heart like this. _Would Laxus?_ , he wondered.

"We shouldn't," Freed said trying to stop giving in to the temptation before him. He didn't want his friend to do anything he would regret later.

"Shut up," was all Laxus said in reply.

Freed stared into his friend's eyes. Laxus couldn't be serious could he?

"Why are you acting so surprised?" Laxus asked as he nibbled on Freed's ear lobe. "I knew those women were a substitute for something else, but I couldn't figure it out until tonight."

"You're dense," Freed panted.

Laxus hummed his agreement before whispering into Laxus' ear, "Seeing you like this has me so turned on. You're so fuckin' beautiful." Freed moaned back. Laxus reached down and pulled off the boxer briefs he was wearing and for the first time Freed saw what his lover looked like when he was most aroused. His size and girth made Freed gasp and Laxus smirked smuggly.

"Like what you see, Freed?" Laxus asked and Freed nodded. Laxus released Freed's rock hard penis and rubbed his own against it. Freed trembled beneath the larger, stronger man and Laxus found himself enjoying his friend's submission.

"How long have you wanted me?" Laxus whispered in Freed's ear. The skinnier man merely moaned in response. "I asked how long have you desired this?" Freed bit his lip. "You know I can always tell when you're lying so you may as well be honest with me."

Freed looked into Laxus' amber eyes and then let his eyes rove over the man's body. "A really long time," he said quietly. "But I-"

Laxus cut off the words with another aggressive kiss as he began to fondle the curves of Freed's backside. Freed couldn't believe this was happening and if it hadn't felt so heavenly he would have stopped Laxus because he was _sure_ Laxus only liked girls. Freed was confident that Laxus was a traditional male who liked women and the way they batted their eyelashes and wore outfits that exposed their cleavage and how they wrapped their legs around him as he used them for pleasure.

Laxus pulled away from the kiss panting and feeling less restrained than he had in years. He felt like a wild beast who had captured prey or like he had just completed a hundred year quest, and he knew more than anything he wanted to see and hear Freed cross that threshold of control from which there is no returning. Visions of Freed wearing Laxus' cum sprang to his mind and incited him to do more to the submissive man. Laxus kissed the man's neck as his left hand pumped his arousal. Freed moaned and his eyes rolled around in his head as the lightning Dragon Slayer's kisses descended down Freed's body.

"So, you've wanted me for a very long time, huh?" Laxus' husky voice sounded so sexy to Freed that the man could have been reading a grocery list and it still would have made him more aroused.

Freed nodded again, but avoided looking at Laxus. The rune mage couldn't help but feel ashamed at the depths of depravity he was leading his friend into, but Laxus would not allow his friend to be ashamed. _Freed's an intelligent, honest, hard-working man, almost S-class. It's wrong that he thinks he doesn't deserve this or shouldn't be allowed to be happy_ , Laxus thought.

"Don't be ashamed," Laxus said. "You're not forcing me to do anything. You have my permission." He leaned close and with a little laugh whispered, "I like it."

Freed remained unsure. _A person can't change their sexuality overnight, can they?,_ he wondered.

Laxus' lips abruptly stopped their descent down Freed's body. He withdrew and lay on his side next to the other man. Freed was worried. Had he done something wrong? _No. Laxus has just come to his senses. He remembered I'm a man,_ Freed thought. He looked at his friend sadly wondering if Laxus' impulsive actions and his own deep seeded desires had led to something that would destroy their partnership.

"You're worrying again," Laxus grumbled. Freed opened his mouth to speak, but was too flustered to say anything intelligible. "For a person who wants me, it seems to me like I'm doing most of the work," Laxus grumbled playfully. "I'm worn out. It's your turn."

Freed blinked. "What?"

"Have at me, Freed," Laxus said grinning.

"I can't, it's improper, it's-" Freed quivered from nervousness.

Laxus cursed. "Freed you have a fuckin' hard on for me every day don't you? And I'm saying go ahead and do what you want and you're going to lecture me about morality?"

Freed nodded his understanding, but continued to tremor slightly, whether from excitement or anxiety Laxus couldn't tell. Freed slowly extended his hand and touched the man's chest. Laxus' eye's closed. The touch was so gentle it was as though a real fairy was dancing upon his chest. Freed began to kiss and lick all over Laxus' broad chest and Laxus let out a deep, rumbling moan.

"That feels damn good," Laxus said a smile on his face. He reached down and ran his hands through the other man's long locks. "Oh, Freed, why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, Laxus," Freed murmured in between kisses and then froze fearing some form of retaliation for saying his name in such a lustful way.

"Don't stop," Laxus ordered. The lightning mage couldn't believe how much pleasure he felt from Freed's gentle kisses. Laxus had thought he only liked women, but he already felt more satisfaction from the other man than he had felt from a half dozen women he could think of. _Has the problem been that I'm gay? Have I been into guys all along?,_ Laxus wondered. For a brief moment he imagined some of the other male guild members to see if they registered any arousal with him, but they didn't and he happily returned his thoughts to the man before him, a warm heat forming in his chest.

 _I was getting really tired of just having sex and not having a girlfriend,_ Laxus thought.

"Hhhmm, your lips are soft," Laxus commented.

Freed blushed. His Laxus was paying him complements. The Laxus in his fantasies didn't even do that. _I can't believe he's letting me do this,_ Freed thought. He had wanted this for so long that he would gladly devote the rest of his life to pleasing his… _Does this make him my lover? My boyfriend? My partner?_ Freed thought. _Wait! Don't get ahold of yourself. This is probably just a one-time thing. So just enjoy it, but don't expect it to last._

"Oh, gods, go lower," Laxus commanded. Freed smiled. He liked when Laxus told him what to do when they were on missions, but this was much better. Hearing that deep voice tell him to proceed was like a drug. He wanted to hear more instructions and receive more orders so that he could do more of exactly what would please his Laxus.

Freed dragged his tongue to the furrows where Laxus' legs met his torso. Laxus moaned and found himself raising his hips encouraging the other man's lips to explore his sex, but Freed instead grasped it with his hand, the strong grip eliciting a gasp From Laxus and the sound empowered Freed. Could this powerful man really be allowing himself to be so vulnerable? And to someone so weak?

Freed dove down to lick the tip of the other man's arousal.

"Don't stop. Oh, god, don't stop, whatever you do," Laxus groaned. Freed's body quivered with eagerness. He could finally show his friend the depths of his devotion. Freed opened his mouth and took in the head of Laxus' swollen organ and sucked on it gently. Laxus groaned and glanced down to take in the sight of his friend giving him pleasure. Some part of the lightning mage felt like things were making sense for the first time in his life and he relaxed as Freed took control.

Freed had always been a determined young man and he had one goal now and one goal only, to give Laxus the most mind-blowing orgasm he had ever had, and not just for the sake of his dear friend. Freed wanted to taste him, wanted to be covered in his seed from head to toe. _There's no way we'll be doing this again, so I will make it amazing,_ Freed told himself. _I care about him more than any woman he's been with and I may be too nervous to express to him in words how I feel, but I can show him. I_ will _show him._

He plunged the stiff organ into his mouth half way and then pulled it in and out. Laxus groaned his appreciation, but Freed wouldn't even allow himself to smile. He kept sliding Laxus in and out of his mouth, their fluid combining to make the gliding easier and when the breath would hitch in Laxus' throat Freed knew that meant he was doing well. Freed was a master strategist on the battlefield and it was no different here. He was determined to use every tool at his disposal: his hands, his lips, his tongue, the heat of his breath, nothing was too good for his Laxus.

Laxus' organ was getting more and slicker with the clear fluid he leaked with excitement and it helped Freed's lips to slide up and down his length even faster. Laxus' groaning had now evolved into one long extended held note as Freed's lips worked his sex, but Freed wasn't satisfied with this. He wanted Laxus to thrash. He wanted the bigger man to be fighting the urge to thrust that cock deep down his throat. Freed took his tongue and began to wiggle it across the baby soft flesh near the tip of Laxus' penis.

"Ah, ah!" exclaimed Laxus, and Freed allowed himself to pause and grin for a moment before returning to pleasuring his friend. Laxus moaned out his name and it lit even more of a fire within the rune mage when he heard the syllables of his name stretched out and in the gravelly tone of one about to come completely undone. Soon, the lightning mage would lose control completely and the thought made Freed so excited he felt as though the sound of his lover cuming might make him orgasm as well.

Laxus' was throwing his head from side to side and moaning his groin rising off the bed craving release. Freed's hands, lips and tongue worked like the many instruments of an orchestra and Freed played them all leading his friend toward the edge of his threshold. Finally with one wiggle of his tongue Laxus let out a mighty grunt before his face contorted into an almost pained expression. His body stiffened and then released again and again. Freed backed his mouth off Laxus' organ a little so he could taste Laxus, humming a little as he did so. Laxus reached down and pulled his cock from Freed's mouth and haphazardly aimed his spurting at Freed's face and neck and then with a final enormous groan flopped back onto the soft bed panting and looking only half alive.

Freed was amused how much his post-orgasmic friend looked like he did after a challenging duel with another mage. _Though, it's difficult to find a mage that even presents a challenge to him,_ Freed thought with satisfaction. His Laxus was one of the strongest mages out there and would no doubt be dubbed a Wizard Saint soon. Freed looked down at his friend feeling extremely happy to have made him feel good, but _he_ felt a little awkward. What was he supposed to do now, he wondered. He gazed down at his love and Laxus opened his arms so Freed could lie down next to him. Freed smiled and spooned up next to Laxus, putting his head on his shoulder.

Laxus' eyes rolled over in his direction and they lay there looking at one another saying nothing as Laxus began to come down off his high.

"Oh, gods, I'm sorry," Laxus mumbled as he looked at Freed's cum-covered face.

"I like it," Freed admitted quietly as Laxus pulled up the corner of one of the bedsheets and wiped Freed's face clean. Then he leaned in and kissed him his arms encircling the skinnier man in an unexpected embrace.

"You've got it bad, don't you?" Laxus asked as Freed nodded slowly. A hint of a smile appeared on Laxus' face. _Look at him_ , Laxus thought. _This might be more than a crush… and he knows every bad habit I have and almost every stupid thing I've ever done. And he knows I'm so dense that it took me this long to figure out he felt about me._ He could see the adoration in his companion's eyes and it made Laxus fight off the dopey, sleepy feeling that had come over him. His hand moved toward the green-haired man's groin with the intention of reciprocating.

"A kiss will be enough," Freed said. "You don't need to do more."

"But I want to," Laxus said puzzled by why this person who so clearly had the hots for him wasn't wanting him to make them feel good.

"Just kiss me, Laxus," Freed said and the intensity of his gaze was such that Laxus did as he said. The lightning mage locked his lips on Freed's and for the first time Freed was kissing him back. Laxus felt a heat in his chest and flutters different than he'd ever felt. These weren't the nervous flutters he'd had the first few times he'd kissed someone. No, they felt like a force that was growing and building the longer he and Freed were connected like this. It reminded him of when he would tap into a new reserve of magic power for the first time. _Kissing Freed feels like magic_ , Laxus thought, and he would have said it were his lips not occupied by his friend's.

Their lips parted and Laxus and Freed lay there staring into one another's eyes, their chests heaving, their bodies sweaty.

"Gods, when did you get so sexy?," Laxus mumbled as he leaned forward to give Freed another passionate kiss, but Freed backed up.

"I've gotta go. If I'm not in bed by the time Bickslow shows up he's going to worry something's happened to me," Freed explained and Laxus nodded. Any of the Legion would have been alarmed if Freed were the last to bed, because that wasn't like the self-disciplined rune wizard, though Laxus was beginning to think that there was more to his friend than any of them had thought.

 _I should ask him if he wants to stay the night,_ Laxus told himself. But Freed was already standing and grabbing his robe. Freed paused to take a long look at his friend and then hurriedly wished him goodnight and left.

Laxus was so startled that by the time he said goodnight Freed was already in the hall way.

 _What was that all about?_ , Laxus wondered, but he was too relaxed to worry about it. Instead, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as he imagined the soft-spoken green-haired mage doing all of his favorite things: reading a book, casting an enchantment, brandishing his sword, and kissing him. Sleep came easily to Laxus that night, though had he been sharing his room with someone they might have noticed that occasionally his snores seemed to morph into something like sleep talking and every once in a while a word could almost be recognized and every time that word sounded suspiciously like the name of his best friend, Freed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Risenfromash:** A reviewer commented that Freed is making this all much more difficult than it needs to be and I would definitely agree, but Freed is always well intentioned and after years of one-sided devotion to his Laxus it's going to take a lot for him to believe that his friend is reciprocating his feelings and, of course, it doesn't help that neither one of them has ever been in another relationship so they are about as experienced as high school freshmen when it comes to commitment and communication and all those things that are important in a relationship.

Originally, I had estimated that this story would be a four parter, but this is not the end. I have at least a couple more after this. I don't want to rush anything even if Laxus is in a big ole hurry to get some.

 **Part 4:**

Freed rushed to his room and was relieved to find that he had beaten Bickslow to the room. He walked over to the bed where his saber rested leaning on the nightstand. He picked it up and using it as a pointer cast a spell on the threshold of the room that would prevent the door from opening and cast off his robe and towel and climbed onto the bed and closed his eyes. His mind's eye pictured the way Laxus' eyes had gazed into his. _Does the man even blink?,_ wondered Freed. It seemed that he could lock onto Freed's eyes and never let go and Freed never wanted him to let go of his gaze, his lips or his body, and most of all not his heart. Freed's heart had belonged to the Dragon Slayer for a very long time, but to now have Laxus know and appreciate it… it was better than he could have ever imagined.

He hadn't even been disappointed to leave without releasing his sexual tension because sex was so far down the list of things he wanted. Of course he wanted it, who wouldn't want that strong body? But what Freed had most enjoyed was hearing Laxus say his name in that loving, gentle, erotic way he did. Freed was reeling with glee from the echo of Laxus' voice in his head and the lingering musky odor of Laxus' bodily fluids. It was enough to make him forget his logical nature and give in to his carnal desire for the Dragon Slayer.

 _Could Laxus love me back?_ , Freed asked himself giddy from his romp with his friend. _Gods, I can't think like that! He could have been drunk… though I didn't smell it. Or he could have just been lonely because he couldn't bring himself to keep Brisha around._ Freed told himself these things to keep his elation in check but his heart was racing. Laxus had kissed him. Laxus had expressed a desire for his body and to have him do physical things to him. Freed groaned. Thinking about it was pleasant torture. How he would have loved to have stayed in Laxus' bed allowing the Dragon Slayer to fulfill his ever desire, but Freed didn't want them to get too carried away. He didn't want Laxus to do anything he might regret in the morning. _But he sure_ _ **acted**_ _like he was enjoying himself,_ Freed murmured as he remembered Laxus' teasing. _He didn't even act ashamed of messing around with a man, but I'm sure he's never done anything like that with a guy before. I would have known about it. Did he seriously just realize that I worship him?_ Freed laughed out loud. _Well, he can be a bit clueless about feelings I suppose. I don't think he knows how he feels half the time due to that wonderful father of his._

'I'm kissing you, Brainiac.' Laxus' had called him that the first day they had met which had of course, been the day Freed fell in love with him. It was love at first sight only it wasn't just his looks that attracted the green-haired mage's affections. There was something about how he spoke rarely, saving his words for important matters and the way he silently observed so much. He was introverted like Freed, but not in the bookish, romantic way of the rune wizard.

 _Laxus is all_ man, Freed thought closing his eyes remembering the sensation of playing with Laxus' enormous arousal with his lips and tongue. _Oh, gods, he is beyond hot._ He _should be the fire dragon slayer, not Natsu._ Knowing that his friend had trusted him to do such personal things made Freed feel special. _Sure, he's let me wash his back before and things like that, but oh, gods, feeling his hand on my…_

He lay down on the bed facing the ceiling and gently grasped his excited length in his right hand. _'Flattered',_ Freed said aloud. _He said he was making out with me… and flattered… and uuurrrmmm,_ Freed pretended that his hand was that of the muscular mage claiming Freed's body as his own.

"Yes…" murmured Freed as he imagined Laxus roughly pushing him down and lining himself up with Freed's body. Being a virgin the next part of the fantasy was hazy in the details, but it didn't matter. All he needed to picture was Laxus hovering over him, whispering orders in his ear, and Freed was pushed to the brink. Tonight was more than he ever thought would happen between the two of them.

He imagined a voice like rolling thunder rumbling out the order, 'Cum for me, Brainiac,' and Freed was lost to ecstasy, moaning and groaning as he made a mess of himself, his seed spurting all over his naked body and his bedsheets.

He let out a lengthy, barely audible moan as he lay there panting. Masturbating had _never_ been like that before. His eyes rolled down to access the soiling of his sheets and he blushed. _That was incredible_ _and given the circumstances I suppose I don't even need to beg forgiven of the gods,_ thought Freed with a happy sigh. _And he thought I had it bad_ before _and then he goes and kisses me like that… what was he thinking?_ , Freed thought touching his lips with his other hand. How many times had they kissed? And when Freed had mustered the courage to kiss him back Laxus had only embraced it. _He didn't push me away. He actually acted like he enjoying it… and it felt so amazing,_ Freed's thoughts whirled. What did it all mean? _I wonder what's running through Laxus' head right now,_ he wondered. _He's probably telling himself that messing around once with a guy isn't a huge deal, but that it better not happen again._ Freed chuckled to himself. _If I'm lucky maybe he'll lack willpower like I do when it comes to him._

Freed wanted it to happen over and over again. He wanted to be showered with the lightning mage's affections. Was it Laxus' arms wrapped around him that made him feel so warm or was it that feeling inside of him, that heat that seemed to grow from inside his body as they embraced?

Freed felt himself getting hard again. _Gods, see what you do to me Laxus?,_ he said to himself. _Once just isn't enough._ His stroking of himself was almost happening subconsciously as he thought about the intensity of his friend's yellow eyes and how they had gazed unblinking at his naked body. _Then he leaned over and kissed me and rubbed his naked body against his and…_ Freed felt his muscles tighten and then spasm. He threw his head back and panted out his friend's name. He lay there on the bed feeling completely spent and happily loopy from the overwhelming sensations, his face red from the exertion and the embarrassment. He had really let loose... twice. He smiled. This was one of the happiest days of his life, right up there with the day the magic had awakened in him, the day he joined Fairy Tail and, of course, the day he met Laxus.

Freed would have been content to lie in bed and dream about Laxus as he fell asleep, but at any moment Bickslow would return to their room and Freed needed to lift the enchantment on the door. He ran into the bathroom to take a shower which he had hoped would wash away the sexy aroma of the man he wanted so very badly to take as his lover, but he inevitably thought of Laxus and found himself once again giving into his animalistic urges making a mess of himself in the shower before once again cleaning himself up and wrapping himself in a towel.

 _I'll never get any sleep if I can't stop thinking about him,_ Freed scolded himself as he returned to his bed. _Am I gonna have to do it_ again _?!_ , he asked himself picking up his sword to once again set the enchantment on the door just as the knob turned.

"What ya waving your sword around for? Don't you ever take a night off, Freed?" chuckled Bickslow. "You know what you need? To get laid that's what!" Bickslow threw his arm over the shoulder of his friend. "Next mission, I'm gonna hook you up with some nice person and we are gonna show you a good time."

Freed blushed. "That's really not necessary," he said setting his sword by the bedside once more.

"Naw, man. You can't die a virgin," Bickslow said starting to strip out of his favorite striped outfit and tossing it on the floor haphazardly. Freed had learned years ago to accept the fact that his roomie was a slob. "Tell me, Freed. How close you ever been to gettin' some?"

Freed's head tipped downward a little. "I've had someone make out with me." Freed figured that was a safe way of saying it… that's what Laxus had called it and the shy mage wasn't about to admit that he'd given another guy a blowjob. He didn't expect Bickslow to have a problem with it, but, knowing Bickslow, he was liable to do something insane with the knowledge like go shout it off the balcony of the hotel or something. He was just that kind of guy.

"Don't be too worried. I am fully capable of handling my own sex life," Freed said. "Unlike you. Are you still avoiding Cana?"

Bickslow made an exaggerated grimace like something a cartoon character would do. "Uh, yeah… you know she and I weren't looking to get involved in anything serious."

Freed nodded. "I know, but I think bolting from the guild hall every time she appears is a bit childish, don't you?"

"Damn, Freed. Don't point out my hypocrisy," Bickslow said laughing. "I just want you to have a good time. I don't want you to grow to be an old man and realize that you never did anything wild and crazy. We're not getting any younger you know."

"I know. But you know me, I'm not exactly the wild and crazy type," Freed explained. "It doesn't mean I don't have my share of fun."

"Fair enough, but if you ever want me to help hook you up let me know. You're a good lookin' guy… and _way more_ well-mannered than any other dude in Fairy Tail. It wouldn't be a problem to find someone to give you a little companionship," he said with a wink.

"Were you partaking in companionship tonight?" Freed said sliding under the sheets.

"Naw, I was trying to win back the jewels I lost playing darts," Bickslow says.

"You get it back?"

"Not even close! We better go back out on another job right away or I'm gonna have to be skipping breakfast for the next few weeks." Freed shook his head in judgment of his friend's reckless ways. Why did his friend insist on being so foolish and taking unnecessary risks? "Just for that I'm hitting you up first. Seven am day after tomorrow I'll be at your door demanding oatmeal."

Freed laughed and Bickslow gave him an odd look. "You ok?" the possession wizard asked.

"Yeah," Freed answered. "Don't I seem ok?"

"Yeah, you do… but somethings different. You seemed so uptight earlier and now you're all… happy, I guess. Laxus have you wash his back again or somethin'?"

Freed smiled goofily. "Something like that. I _did_ take a bath. It was _very_ relaxing. They have a lovely bath house here."

The possession wizard eyed Freed suspiciously. He had the feeling there was more to Freed's 'relaxation' than he was sharing, but Bickslow was too tired to pry. "Well, have a good sleep," he mumbled as he climbed into his bed.

"Good night," Freed said as he placed his head on his pillow. He had been blessed with wonderful friends, was a member of one of the foremost guilds in Fiore, and now his big secret was out of the bag. It might have awful repercussions, but at that moment he felt lighter because the weight of all the guilt and shame he had been carrying around was lifted. Sure, tomorrow Laxus would probably say they could never be like that again, but now that the truth was out there he knew Laxus didn't hate him for loving him. He just hoped that Laxus didn't try to get him to change the feelings in his heart, because after the events of this evening it would be even harder for Freed to stop loving the lightning mage. _As long as I don't have to deny how I feel I'll be able to survive with one sided love and who knows maybe someday when he gets married his wife will understand and she'll let me live with them…_

The next morning, as was their usual custom, the Thunder Legion members met on the first floor of the hotel for a hearty breakfast before heading to the train station. Evergreen and Laxus were already at the table drinking cups of coffee and eating some sausage and eggs when Bickslow and Freed arrived.

Freed studied Laxus and immediately noticed that he had no goofy grin on his face so Freed did his best to suppress any sign of the joy that had been welling up inside of him all night. It would be embarrassing to be grinning like an idiot because of last night when Laxus seemed totally normal.

Bickslow surveyed the table. "You scooting your number one fans out before breakfast now?" Bickslow asked amused by the absence of Brisha at the morning feast.

Laxus shook his head. "She left last night."

Ever crinkled her nose. "That bad, huh?"

"The opposite. Last night was amazing," Laxus said his eyes raising from his cup of coffee to meet Freed's. He said the words slowly staring right at his friend, "But I guess some people feel it's the wrong thing to stick around after… or maybe she wanted to make it easy on me. I dunno."

 _He's talking about me_ , Freed thought. _Is he mad I left? He couldn't actually think we were suddenly going to start_ doing it _, could he? I thought he was just goofing around._

Ever snorted, but gave no indication that she knew anything unusual had happened. "Then she doesn't know you well enough. Anyone who knows you would know you aren't shy about telling people to get lost."

Bickslow agreed, "Like that one red head. What was it you said to her, that time? 'Woman, there is work to be done. Either go home or prepare to become a lightning rod.'"

Laxus growled. "I'm not proud of that, you know," he mumbled before taking an especially long sip of coffee.

Ever laughed. "Don't feel bad. It was the only option you had left. You'd tried every other way to tell her to get lost and _no one_ likes someone _that_ clingy. She was like _Juvia_ for gods' sake and she wasn't even a mage. It would have gotten her killed. I think her obsession with you rivaled Freed's." She smiled mischievously at the rune mage who glared back at her.

"Now, now, if you tease Freed, I'm gonna have to tease you about your infatuation with a certain manly man," Bickslow snickered as he crudely signed to the waitress that he needed a cup of coffee.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Elf and I are just friends," Ever said defensively.

"You carry a photo of him in your bra," Bickslow said slyly.

Ever sat down the forkful of food she was about to eat. "How in the hell do you-"

"My babies see all, baby," he said intentionally antagonizing the leprechaun.

Ever jumped up, shouting, "You little shit-"

"Knock it off," Laxus growled. "We've only got a couple more minutes before we need to leave and I'm not having the Thunder Legion turn rowdy and destroy the place we're more professional than Flamebrain's team."

The three nodded their agreement. Natsu's team of Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Happy had been dubbed 'Fairy Tail's strongest team' while the Thunder Legion had an extended leave of absence due to some very long involved missions they had taken and it had rubbed Laxus the wrong way when they returned to find that they were no longer given the respect they deserved. Erza and Natsu were indeed strong and Gray was talented, smart, and versatile, but calling them the 'strongest team in Fairy Tail' was laughable and Laxus did not like thinking that their actions were seen as representative of the guild as a whole. _They're a bumbling bunch of teenagers! And Natsu's so clueless he can't even figure out he's in love with Lucy,_ the thought was accompanied by a strange feeling deep in his gut. _Maybe he does know. Maybe he's just scared to admit the truth because they're such good friends._ His eyes flicked to Freed. Did he and Natsu have something in common besides being kick ass Dragon Slayers? Laxus growled. He really didn't want to consider that he was as romantically clueless as the Salamander.

Laxus stared at his green-haired friend. Was this love? Was he in love with another man? Freed's eye met his and Laxus felt as though Freed were a gravity mage pulling him towards him and those kissable lips he had. Laxus slammed his coffee mug down as he choked on his last slurp. Ever turned to look at him.

"You forget how to drink?" she said arching an eyebrow. Laxus was usually a more composed man but he'd been acting weird that morning and Freed was unusually quiet even for him. It made her wonder what had happened after Laxus had shown up at her door the night before. She would keep a close eye on those two. _It's gonna be hella funny if these two become boyfriends. I don't know who's more clueless about relationships, and I think Freed might be against premarital sex,_ Ever thought to herself. _And we know our Laxus isn't._ She chuckled under her breath as Laxus' coughing began to die down.

On the way to the train station, Freed couldn't get his mind off of Laxus. Had his coughing fit at breakfast been because he was ashamed of what he'd done or had he been flirting? Freed was never good at recognizing flirting. One of the others always had to tell him when someone was coming on to him. His brain just wasn't programmed to recognize it. He was far too logical when it came to real life… now in some of the books he read that was something entirely different. He could always tell what characters were falling for one another in a book. _So, why's it such a mystery in real life?_ Freed grumbled under his breath. Laxus glanced over at him. _Shit, did I say that aloud?_ Freed thought as his eyes grew wide from embarrassment.

 _I wonder what he's thinking right now_ , Laxus wondered. _Does he have any idea of what he's started? He's acting so god damned normal it's hard to tell. But he loves me, right? It isn't just a physical thing. Right? If it were wouldn't he have let me have him? And who the hell does that? He just ran out. How did I end up leaving_ him _unsatisfied when he's the one who wants me? He's gonna have to get one thing straight. If we're gonna mess around like that I'm the one who is going to be in charge._

Laxus had to admit to himself that the revelation that Freed had a thing for him hadn't been a total shock, maybe he had been in a _bit_ of denial about Freed's feelings, but the way Freed had pleasured him had been a complete surprise. The rune mage had been so unreserved. He had given himself completely… until he ran off. _Is he scared?!_ It had been a long time since anything had scared the accomplished wizard. _Well, I guess I'll just have to get him over his fear._ He smirked. _Next time I'm not going to let him get away from me._

The teammates had gotten a private compartment in the train and Freed by happenstance was first in. He took the seat riding backwards by the window, Ever was next and sat across from him and Bickslow sat beside her taking up more than his allotted space, his 'babies' bobbing around Ever and pestering her as she placed her luggage in the overhead compartment.

Laxus took the last available spot by Freed without any ado, but being close to him like that made Freed flush a little so he opened the window. The group chatted for a bit and then the conversation lulled and Bickslow said he was gonna try to catch some z's and Ever pulled out a copy of Sorcerer Weekly she had purchased prior to boarding. Freed stood up and opened his bag and pulled out a book he was reading about a famous samurai.

On the train ride to their mission he had found the book very engaging, but he was now having a very hard time concentrating on it. Laxus got up and left for a bit and then returned and assumed his spot next to Freed. He put his headphones on, crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. Seeing him in his headphones reminded Freed of when they were younger. The two of them had really grown up together.

Laxus opened his left eye. "Aren't you bored of staring at me yet?" he asked. Freed let out a little yelp at being discovered and Laxus grunted. "It's ok. They're asleep."

Freed's eyes scanned their companions who did indeed appear to be fast asleep. "Why should that matter?" Freed asked innocently. "What would you want to say or do that you wouldn't want them to know about?"

Laxus smirked. Freed was flirting with him. "Gee, I can't imagine," he said suddenly placing a hand on Freed's thigh and pulling his chin his way so he could kiss him.

"Laxus!" Freed sputtered mid-kiss as Laxus laughed.

"You're so nervous. It's hilarious," Laxus said returning to his sleeping position. "You act like you're going to get in trouble with your parents or something."

Freed glared at the other man. "Don't make fun of me for taking things seriously."

"'Things?' Freed, you take _everything_ seriously. You're going to die a young man if you don't loosen up some."

Freed frowned. "You sound like Bickslow."

"Yeah, but I bet he's never kissed you," Laxus said smirking.

"Ssshhhhh!" Freed said hushing his friend. "Do you want the world to know?"

Laxus laughed. "It's not the world. It's Ever and Bickslow, and I'm pretty sure they both know you have a thing for me."

Freed defiantly turned his head away from the Dragon Slayer. "I don't know about that. _You_ only figured it out yesterday."

Laxus' eyebrows arched. Freed was in a fighting mood apparently. He found it very arousing, because there was no doubt in his mind that he was going to be the one to win. "I never claimed to be especially bright. And I'm still processing," Laxus paused. "But I warn you that if you do anything too cute I may drag you off and have my way with you."

Freed rolled his eyes. "I doubt that."

"Just watch out that's all I'm saying," Laxus warned and without another word the lightning mage closed his eyes as though he was going back to sleep.

Freed sat there confused. _Did Laxus just threaten to have sex with me?,_ he thought. _I'm pretty sure that constitutes flirting. But flirting doesn't actually mean anything, right?_ Freed wasn't sure. He had no experience with this. Sometimes when a woman would show a particular interest in him he would later be told by other members of the guild that she'd been flirting with him, but he was always oblivious to it in the moment. Had Laxus ever behaved this way with him before? Freed searched his memory banks. He remembered an epic snowball fight between the Dragon Slayers and some of the other members of the guild and Laxus and Gajeel had snuck up and ambushed him from behind pelting him with snowballs, but when Gajeel had made a move on Freed Laxus had proclaimed loudly, "Back off. Freed's mine" before upending him into a snowbank. Their bodies had been close and Freed remembered how Laxus had been on top of him, hovering over him as though they might make love right then and there. Only thing was as soon as Laxus had sufficiently shown his dominance over the rune mage he had jumped up and proceeded to chase Lisanna across the field of snow shouting that he intended to show _her_ no mercy. _It's just a game. He doesn't mean anything by it_ , Freed thought feeling disappointed.

At the same time, Laxus was acting like there was going to be a reprise of last night and Freed had been so sure that was going to be a one-time thing. _Is Laxus just going to torture me from now on?_ Freed worried. _Does he think it's funny?_

Freed angrily opened his book with an exaggerated flip of its binding and he heard a very quiet snicker from Laxus. Freed's nostril's flared. _Is he really going to behave this way? It's so childish!_ , Freed grumbled to himself. _Why can't he just be gracious and let me down easy?_

"You just gonna sit over there muttering to yourself?" Laxus asked in a hushed tone.

This agitated Freed even more. _Laxus thinks he's so awesome, so perfect, that no one is allowed to be angry with him? Just because he can take down Natsu in one punch or his father's entire guild by himself?_

Freed's inner monologuing was cut short by Laxus standing up and looking down at his friend. "Come take a walk with me," Laxus said. _Typical! He doesn't even say 'please' he really has very poor manners,_ Freed thought as he sat there contemplating whether to follow his leader's order or ignore him.

Laxus rolled his eyes. "You know you want to," he said gently.

Freed stared right at Laxus and refused to stand up in clear disobedience of his order. Laxus' eyebrows went up. _Feisty today, isn't he?_ Laxus said to himself. _Hhhmm. I suppose I can make him think he's winning. Just this once._

"Freed, don't be like this. Come take a walk with me and we can," he groaned out the abhorrent word " _talk_." He paused. " _Please._ "

Freed smiled and stood up, slowly. "I knew you had the capacity to use manners somewhere deep down inside."

Laxus grunted. _Has Freed always been this annoying?_ He asked himself. He seemed to think Freed usually did whatever he told him to without questioning it. Laxus wasn't sure if he liked Freed getting all defiant and back talking. _Course, it gives me an excuse to knock him down a peg or two_ , Laxus thought as his eyes roved over Freed's body. He wasn't sure how long this thing… whatever it was would last between the two of them, but he was sure of one thing it definitely wasn't over. Not with the sensations coming from his heart and his groin. He was feeling an overwhelming need to claim Freed as his, and if they had some damn privacy he would have been undressing Freed right then.

"Gods, I want to fuck him," Laxus thought. He took a deep breath trying to clear his mind for a little experiment. Mira in a bikini, Lucy with her shirt all ripped up, that stupid Fiore princess who always wore that dress that looked like a teddy… Dammit! None of those things registered nearly as much arousal as Freed. _I guess he's not the only one who's got it bad,_ Laxus mumbled to himself as they left the compartment. _As soon as I get the chance, I'm gonna take him so hard he won't be able to sit the next day._ The thought made Laxus laugh.

"What?" Freed asked nervously.

"Oh, nothing. Just looking forward to getting home," Laxus said with a twinkle in his eye.


	5. Chapter 5

**Risenfromash:** Hopefully I will not have the problem posting this section that I did with Part 4 where I accidentally reposted Part 1 instead. Oops! As they say in the movie, Office Space, "I always screw up some mundane detail!" Thank you for your support of this story. I am having a lot of fun writing it and I hope that the multiple points of view don't make it too confusing to read. I find yaoi difficult to write sometimes because both characters have the same damn pronoun and so I have to work hard to designate which 'he' I'm meaning. Part 6 is almost finished so I should be posting it soon. Thanks again for your reviews, follows, and favorites.

 **Part 5:**

Laxus and Freed walked to the observatory car and made themselves comfortable on seats looking out over the rolling hills and grasslands of Fiore's countryside. Here and there an occasional farm or ranch would appear or a small village. The scenery created a sense of solitude that was at once peaceful and serene despite the occasional screeching and constant clacking of the train's wheels as they scraped their way along the metal track.

After sitting for a while in silence, Laxus growled, "You wanna tell me what's on your mind?" Laxus hated having to talk, but he saw no way around it. Freed was sitting there as though nothing had transpired between them and that was too much for Laxus to take.

"I don't know what you mean," Freed said.

"Like hell you don't," Laxus said. "You've been acting weird ever since you left my room last night."

Freed pretended that watching a band of nomads walking with their sheep herd was hugely entertaining. "No more strange than you."

"What am _I_ doing that's strange?" Laxus asked grouchily.

"You're being odd and saying things like…" Freed leaned in close to Laxus. "Like I'm your boyfriend or something."

Laxus stifled a laugh. "Am I?" He said sarcastically. "I wonder why the hell I'd be acting that way."

"That's what I'd like to know," Freed said. Freed loved his Laxus, but Freed knew that Laxus was only truly interested in women and this devil-may-care attitude of his where he pretended that he might be romantically or physically attracted to his friend wasn't appreciated. "Because I don't like being made fun of. So, I have a crush on you. So what?" Freed said angrily.

"Freed, I think you've got more than a crush," Laxus replied in that low rumbling tone that always made the rune mage weak in the knees.

"No, I don't. That's all it is. It's stupid. It's nothing. It's-"

"It's not nothing. You shouldn't write off your feelings like that." _He doesn't need my approval,_ Laxus thought to himself. _He should let himself feel however the hell he feels regardless._

Freed stood up. As much as he desired Laxus he couldn't do this to him. Letting his friend turn his back on his true sexuality would be selfish. _Last night was so wonderful, but the reality is Laxus isn't into men,_ thought Freed with a sigh. "Please, Laxus, just forget all about last night." The rune mage got up to leave, but Laxus jumped up and grabbed his hand.

"What if I don't want to?" Laxus said earnestly. He was more than confused by the mixed messages he was getting from his wanna-be lover; he was frustrated.

Freed turned very red. "You're making fun of me again!"

Laxus frowned. _What is it that I'm doing that's making him say that?!_ Laxus didn't feel clever enough to figure it out. "Come sit back down," Laxus told him and the intensity of his amber eyes made Freed give in to his command and the two men returned to their seats. Freed's heart was pounding and the butterflies in his chest were those huge, tropical ones on Tenrouche Island that were rumored to eat mice for lunch.

 _Being near him like this is intoxicating. Gods, I want him. Look at those arms!_ Freed thought, but again he reminded himself that Laxus didn't really like men. _I'm not going to let him give up what he_ truly _desires just so I'm happy. He hasn't thought this through. He's just going along with it because I'm his closest friend and he would do anything to make me happy. It's so like him to do something sweet like this, but it would be no good to base a relationship on only one person's feelings… as much as I'd like to._

Laxus opened his mouth as though to say something and then shut it again. He tried again and still the words didn't come. Finally, he said, "Maybe I don't know how to act or what to say, but that doesn't mean I'm making fun of you. I'm really flattered."

 _See, he said 'flattered,'_ Freed thought. _We all know what that means…_

"But you don't _love_ me," Freed said looking away. _And you're not gay like me_ , thought Freed to himself.

Laxus said nothing. 'Love' was a scary word to the Dragon Slayer. His father whom he should have loved had skipped out on him and turned undeniably evil. His grandfather who loved him had banished him from Fairy Tail for a time, and even though he knew he had deserved the punishment it still had strained the love between them. Then there were the women, countless women whom he'd 'made love' to without actually harboring any loving feelings for, other than an attraction to their curves and the softness of their skin. _What does love really mean?_ Laxus was struggling to define it and if he didn't know what love was or felt like, how could he say whether or not he felt it for his dear friend, Freed? Was there anyone or anything he truly loved? Then he landed upon it… the one thing he knew he loved.

He loved Fairy Tail. More than anything he loved the guild and its people. Just the smells of the place: the wooden beams that held its vaulted ceilings, the scent of the chalk by the pool table, and the odor of the ale he drank while he sat with his friends were enough to make him feel warm inside.

"I'm not sure how I feel," Laxus admitted. "The only thing I know for sure that I love is Fairy Tail."

 _At least he's grown enough to be able to admit how much the guild means to him_ , thought Freed with a nod, and then remembering that talking about feelings was his friend's _least_ favorite thing to do he tried to end the conversation. "It's alright," Freed said kindly. "I don't expect anything from you. I know it was just a one off. Come on, let's head back and see if Bickslow and Ever want to get some lunch in the dining car."

The Dragon Slayer rose and followed Freed watching his ass as he walked. _A one off? He really thinks I don't have any interest in him, doesn't he? What a weirdo! I was practically_ begging _for him to stay with me last night or at least I would have been if he hadn't of rushed off in such a damn hurry_ , Laxus sighed. He hadn't expected to find himself having to convince Freed that he felt something for him. _What should I say to him to let him know what I think I feel? Crap. I guess I better figure out what the hell I feel first… but I definitely feel_ something _. And I'm not going to let him get away with claiming this was a one-time fling. I made a choice… it was impulsive, but it was still a choice and I'd do it again. Oh, Gods, would I ever. He's incredible…_

The rest of the train ride proved uneventful for the four and soon they were tramping back through the streets of Magnolia headed to the guild. Laxus had considered asking Freed to go back to his place for a drink before Freed headed to his home at the men's dorm at Fairy Hills, but he never had the opportunity to get Freed alone to ask him and if he invited Freed in front of the others, whether he included them in the invite or not, Evergreen and Bickslow would insist on coming as well. _Damn, cheapskates should buy their own liquor_ , Laxus grumbled to himself.

 _Maybe the next job we go on could be something where we'd need to split into two separate parties for a while_ , Laxus schemed, but he had a hard time thinking what kind of mission would easily lend itself to splitting Ever and Bickslow into one team while he and Freed went off alone together. The problem was vexing him as they entered the guild hall and were greeted by a hearty shout from the assembled members.

Evergreen scanned the room searching for Elfman, and Bickslow marched right up to the bar to get a drink while Laxus and Freed made their way more slowly across the guild hall stopping to secure a table and set their packs next to it before going to order themselves some refreshments.

"How'd it go?" Mira Jane asked as they walked up to the bar.

"All right except Bickslow already blew his share," Laxus said. "Which means we'll be heading out on another job as soon as we can."

Mira nodded. "There's a few interesting S-class missions. There's one that sounds like it could really utilize Freed's skills… you should take a look."

Laxus tried not to smile. Maybe he was going to have an easier time selecting the appropriate mission, after all.

Mira handed Laxus a pint of his favorite lager without him asking for it. He always ordered the same thing unlike Freed who had a number of favorites depending upon his mood.

"A Screaming Orgasm, please," Freed said making Laxus spew part of his drink across the counter.

"Laxus," Ever said coming from somewhere behind him. "Are we going to have to put all your drinks in sippy cups from now on? What has gotten into you?"

Laxus, unable to speak due to his 'drinking problem', pointed to the rune mage.

"I ordered a Screaming Orgasm," Freed said matter-of-factly. "I guess it shocked him that I could say something like that without blushing."

"It was surprising," choked out Laxus. "I thought you'd go for an alcoholic green tea or… something…"

"Naw, our boy's growing up," Bickslow shouted from a few seats down the bar. "You know he told me he made out with someone."

Ever's eyes flashed to Laxus' and the lightning mage assumed a guilty expression.

"Well, I'm gonna go sit down," Laxus muttered as he headed back to the table he and Freed had picked out assuming that Freed and Ever were following behind him.

"You gonna be here for a while?" Mira Jane shouted after him. "Lisanna's been asking about you. She and Elfman are out on a job, but they'll be back a little later."

Laxus pretended not to hear the meddling bartender's question. At one time, he had been interested in dating Mira but just about the time he was seriously considering asking her out she began dropping less than subtle hints that her younger sister would welcome the opportunity to date him, instead. _Not this again_ , thought Laxus. _Though I don't know why I'm surprised. Mira is just as relentless at matchmaking as she is at dueling. But there is_ no way _I'd ever go out with Lisanna. She's way too nice._ Besides not feeling that he was well suited to her he was also insulted by the idea that because he was another Dragon Slayer he could somehow fill the void that was created in Lisanna's life when her intimate relationship with Natsu was abruptly cut short. _Besides, I want to see where this thing with Freed is going… it's really got me fired up. Aw, crap! I sound like the Salamander._

Laxus set his pint on the table and sat down expecting Freed to be taking the seat right next to him, but he wasn't there. He looked around trying to figure out where Freed had gone. _I thought we were coming over here to have our drinks together._

"He's over at the job board," Ever whispered. "You gonna tell me what happened between the two of you last night? Or are you going to leave it to my imagination? Because on the train it sounded like you two were flirting-"

"Shut up," Laxus said. It was all he could think to say and even he knew it was a lame defense. Evergreen smiled evilly and took the seat across from Laxus.

"Fine, don't tell me," Ever said. "But if he's already looking at the job board that means he's thinking about going solo for a bit… and I'm guessing that isn't what you want." Laxus' head whirled in the direction of the job board. "I thought so. Well, what are you waiting for? Go stop him."

 _What is he thinking? He can't string me along like this, admit that he's had these intense feelings for years, and then just run off. Oh, my gods, he isn't thinking of leaving the Thunder Legion permanently is he? Oh, my gods. I can't lose him!_ Laxus wanted to charge over to the job board and yell at Freed for trying to leave him when he was so confused and questioning a lot of things he thought he knew, but he also didn't want to appear desperate so he forced himself to stroll over to the job board nonchalantly as though his world wasn't completely falling apart.

Laxus went to stand next to Freed and stood there for a moment gazing at the fliers pretending he was reading them. He was not. "You know the Thunder Legion only takes S-class missions," Laxus stated.

"Yes," Freed said continuing to examine the postings.

"You thinking about going somewhere without me?" asked the lightning mage. Freed was surprised that Laxus was so to the point. It seemed unusually perceptive of the Thunder God.

"Maybe. You said yourself you're processing. It might be a good thing for me to give you some space for a while," Freed said continuing to avoid making eye contact with the Dragon Slayer.

Laxus grunted. "You're wasted on missions that aren't S-class." _Not that that's why I want you not to go,_ Laxus admitted to himself. Laxus got lonely easily and he always found Freed's unassuming companionship to be a comfort and now that their friendship might be blossoming into something even more than that, the last thing he wanted was for his friend to go off on some stupid solo mission without him.

Freed growled. "We've been over this. I don't regret what I did at the S-level trial."

"I know you don't." Laxus said stepping closer to his friend before whispering in his ear, "Question is do you regret what you did last night?"

Freed turned to look at Laxus. "Honestly, I don't know."

"Freed," Laxus whined his name the way an animal whimpers in pain. _Did I screw this up so badly he no longer wants me? How could I manage to do that in just one night?_ Laxus asked himself, panicking. _That's gotta be some kind of new record for screwing up a relationship! Come on, Freed. Don't give up on me. I think I might really feel something!_ Laxus gulped. If that was how Freed felt, well that was how _Freed_ felt, but he needed to know how he felt. "Then know this. _I_ don't regret any of it, and I don't want you to either."

Freed stared into Laxus' eyes. His heart was aching. He wanted to crash his lips into the lightning mage and push him to the floor and beg him to make sweet love to him. How could he be so appealing without even trying? But, Freed wasn't about to give in. He was determined to give his friend space to think about all the implications that came with choosing to be with him. So, with great restraint he smiled and said, "Thank you… for that. But, I think we both have a lot we need to figure out for ourselves. So, I think I'll go on a job by myself and give you some time to make sure you haven't changed your mind… about anything."

"Fine," Laxus grumbled. "Go do a mission without me, but nothing's going to change. You're only lying to yourself if you think you can run from this." Laxus turned and walked back to the table, sat down, and chugged half of his drink down in one go.

"Well, that must have gone well," Ever commented.

Laxus said nothing, but frowned, his eyes straying from the female mage to the green haired man in front of the job board.

"Does he know how you feel about him?" Ever whispered.

" _I_ don't know how I feel about him," Laxus mumbled, his voice distorted by the stein he was drinking from.

"Yes, you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be freaking out like this," Ever told him sensibly.

"I'm not freaking out."

"Fine, I'm sure you have everything under control, because you're _such_ a good communicator."

"Shut up," said Laxus. He really needed to have a better retort to the leprechaun, but somehow he never seemed to come up with one.

"Just remember I'm always here if you need me," she said picking up her pack and patting the brawny man on the shoulder lovingly. "I'm gonna go take a nice, long hot shower, but if you need anything you let me know ok?"

Laxus nodded and watched as Evergreen left the guild hall. He finished the rest of his drink and then when he was sure Bickslow and Freed wouldn't notice he slipped out of the guild hall without saying goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6:

The next day when Laxus went to the guild hall to check out the available S-class job postings, Mira informed him that Freed had taken a solo mission that was clear on the other side of Zonia Mountain. Laxus had cursed loudly and then as an excuse mumbled that members of the Thunder Legion were only supposed to take missions together, which was a complete lie that thankfully, Bickslow and Evergreen weren't around to contradict.

"Don't worry," Mira said happily. "I have the perfect mission for you to do while he's away. There's a posting for someone to track down some sheep rustlers… and I bet if you took someone with transformation magic with you they could pretend to be a sheep and help you to locate their headquarters. Too bad I'm not available… somebody's gotta make sure everybody's fed you know and Elfman has plans… I know, what about taking Lisanna with you? She's been wanting to show off some of her new skills to you and-"

"No," thundered Laxus and everyone in the guild hall went silent wondering what could have angered the Thunder God. Laxus felt the eyes of his guildmates on him. Softening his tone he then added, "T _hank you_. I don't feel like going on a mission today."

"Oh, you wouldn't have to go today," Mira said cheerily completely ignoring his outburst. _She thinks she's got it all figured out. She's probably already picked out what to serve at our wedding reception._ The thought nauseated the Dragon Slayer and he found himself sliding his partially eaten Rueben sandwich away. "I think I'm coming down with something," he mumbled. "I'm gonna go home and lie down."

Mira looked at him with concern. "Was something wrong with your sandwich? I could make you another if-"

"No, it was fine… I'm just not feelin' real good. I think I'm coming down with a bit of a cold," he said stepping down from his bar stool and heading for home. Once outside in the fresh air he felt better but he knew he wasn't _actually_ ill; it was the pressure to go out with Lisanna that had turned his stomach.

 _Oh, well,_ he grumbled to himself on the walk home. _I_ did _tell Freed I was processing and maybe I do need some time to get my shit together. I mean, what guy in his thirties can't figure out if he's gay or not?_ Laxus grumbled to himself. And why wouldn't Freed listen to him? They were best friends! _Why does he have to over-analyze_ everything _? This is just like when we're planning a battle strategy. He wants to reference all these books he's read and do all this damn strategizing and the rest of us have to humor him and then when we get in there we just give it our all and it's fine. We don't need to plan everything out and think about the implications and… I know that's what he's doing. It's gotta be what he's doing because he's_ Freed _. Why can't Freed ever just go with the flow and have a good time? It's just_ me _for gods' sake._

His complaints were flowing so freely that instead of keeping them all in his head he started mumbling aloud as he walked down the street. Seeing the mage muttering to himself a number of Laxus' neighbors feared that he had inadvertently fried his brain with his lightning, but were too polite to say anything to him about it. One little boy, Andrew Keller, asked his mother, "Mama, why is Mr. Dreyar talking to himself?"

"I don't know, sweetheart, but it's best not to stare," his mother whispered. "Mages are proud folks and don't like to be seen at a disadvantage. We'll just take him over a plate of cookies or a basket of fruit tomorrow and leave it on his porch to let him know we're concerned for him."

"Can we make him cookies in the shape of lightning bolts?" the little boy had suggested excitedly.

The mother sighed. It sounded like a lot of work, but she nodded. When Laxus had moved into his apartment she had feared the worst since Fairy Tail was known to be made up of rowdy, ill-behaved youth, but she had been pleasantly surprised by how quiet the man was and how rarely he had guests over and then when the Connell's bought the house at the end of the street they had further proven her prejudices about Fairy Tail guild members were unjust and she'd even grown to care about them. _It's such a pity that Laxus doesn't have anyone_ , she thought.

Luckily, Laxus was saved the embarrassment of noticing his neighbors' pitying glances, because he was too busy asking himself one question over and over again. _Am I in love with Freed?_ He'd start to answer and then get himself all tangled up in fears and hopes till he wasn't sure how he felt deep down inside and then he'd have to start all over again.

 _Do I love Freed?_ He paused. That question was too complicated to answer. It was harder to answer than discovering his Second Origin or creating new Dragon Slayer Secret Arts or trying to listen to Gajeel's horrible singing without covering his ears.

 _Love._ He hated that damn word, because he was pretty sure it was that word that was causing him all the trouble, because unlike Laxus, Freed liked words. He read books and could recite poetry and had an enormous vocabulary. He understood the nuances of words in a way that Laxus never could. How could he express what he was feeling deep down inside to someone like that?

' _Do I love Freed?'_ continued to rattle around in his head like a single jewel in a piggy bank. By the time he reached his apartment he had decided that he would never be able to answer that question unless he worked up to it with some smaller, much more manageable ones. _Do I enjoy spending time with Freed?,_ he asked himself. Laxus rolled his eyes. Of course he did. That was a no brainer. He hardly remembered a time before Freed was by his side accompanying him on adventures and missions or rowdy evenings in pubs and inns all across Fiore and he was always a delightful companion. _Do I find Freed attractive?_ Laxus nodded. _Freed is definitely a good looking guy. I really like his hair._ _Green is so exotic. I could never pull it off, but it looks good on him. And those eyes…_ he paused. Thinking about Freed's eyes made Laxus feel that something he couldn't describe so he told himself to stop picturing his friend's emerald orbs and move on to the next question. _All right, obviously I'm not turned_ off _by his appearance, so… Did I enjoy kissing Freed?_ Laxus closed his eyes thinking about it and slowly nodded his head. _It had been weird at first, but that was mainly because he wasn't kissing back, but when he did… oh, gods was it hot. I just wanted to pin him down and…_

Laxus glared down at his groin. He was getting aroused just _thinking_ about Freed. Given that he'd had sex with women he _knew_ he didn't love he didn't think that this _proved_ he was in love with Freed, but it definitely meant _something_. Something he had been in denial of for a long time. He thought Freed was hot. He cursed his crotch as though it weren't a part of his own body and stomped off to his bedroom unsure whether he was going to sleep or masturbate or bang his head into the wall just for the hell of it.

The mysterious ailment that afflicted the Lightning Dragon Slayer worsened over the next several days until he was no longer going into the guild hall daily as was his habit when the Thunder Legion wasn't out of town on a mission. Fortunately, he didn't starve because right around that same time meals began mysteriously showing up on his doorstop. At first he had been wary of the anonymous gifts, but the lightning bolt shaped sugar cookies had put him at ease. Not only were they clearly meant for him, they were accompanied by a child's drawing of Laxus casting a lightning bolt into the sky. Seeing it made Laxus smile and he pinned it to the wall right by a photo of the Thunder Legion so he could look at both of them while he lounged in bed nursing his psychosomatic cold.

On day six of Freed's absence, Laxus was sound asleep in his bed when he heard someone pounding on his door. Opening his eyes he could tell it was about ten in the morning, judging from the position of the sun outside, but he had no interest in getting up. He still wasn't feeling great. He was going to ignore the knocking, but then it occurred to him it might be Freed and the wishful thought nagged at him till he shouted, "Who's there?"

"It's me!" chirped Ever. She sounded chipper. Laxus _hated_ chipper.

"Go away," he bellowed. "I'm sick and I don't want company."

"You don't really think I'm that stupid, do you?" Ever asked. Laxus did not reply. "Fine, you have till the count of three before I Fairy Machine Gun the door down. I'm not kidding One…two…

Laxus got up out of bed and opened the door begrudgingly.

"I knew you'd come around," Ever gloated as she entered the room with a shopping bag dangling from her arm and a plate of what appeared to be meatloaf in her hand. "I know people call you the Thunder God, but when did they start leaving tribute to you at your door?"

"When they found out I was ill," Laxus said not bothering to clear his throat so it sounded extra gravelly. "You should stay back. I don't want you to catch anything."

"The only thing I'm liable to catch from you is stupidity," said Evergreen looking over the male mage with a disapproving look. "I brought ice cream. It's what girls eat when they have guy problems." She said as she pulled a tub of ice cream out of the shopping bag and waved it in one hand as she walked into Laxus' kitchen.

"I don't have guy problems," Laxus groaned. "I'm sick. I have a cold."

"Like hell you do. You've been pouting ever since Freed left Magnolia on that job." Evergreen was opening drawers and cupboards and finding them to be greatly unorganized. It was obvious that the bachelor didn't _ever_ cook. "Like you can't manage to live without him by your side. It's really pathetic. Where in the hell do you hide your spoons?"

"Did you just call me pathetic?" Laxus growled. Only a member of the Thunder Legion could get away with being so brazen and even Bickslow would have gotten his ass handed to him for a comment like that, but Laxus had a policy not to throw the first attack when his adversary was a woman. "I should throw you out. You come into my apartment-"

"Spoon?" Ever asked with a persistence that indicated she was not the least bit intimidated by the Dragon Slayer. _She has balls of steel_ , Laxus thought to himself before mumbling that his spoons were mostly in the back of the drawer to the right of the sink.

Ever opened the middle drawer and brandished two spoons as though they were a treasure worth a million jewels. "Aha!" She dashed to the sink and ran the water over them before holding them up to the light.

"What are you doing?" Laxus asked.

"Making sure they're clean," Ever said as she grabbed a couple bowls from the shelf and gave them a once over as well.

"That stuff was put away so it's clean."

"You sure about that?" She said quizzically as she swiped a finger through the inside of one of the bowls and found it coated in a layer of dust.

"So, tell me what you and Freed fought about," she said as she rinsed the dust out of the bowls and began to scoop each of them some rocky road.

"We didn't have a fight."

"Oh, so Freed just decided to leave town without saying goodbye to you because… what, you're so happily in love with one another?" Laxus groaned. "Come on. Just tell me. Sister Ever is here to make things better."

She handed him his bowl of ice cream. He glanced down at it and yanked it from her hand and grabbed one of the two spoons she had set on the counter and then stomped back into his living room.

"I should throw you out," he mumbled before taking his first bite of ice cream.

"You're not going to though. You need someone to talk to."

Laxus growled. "That's just the problem. I don't wanna _talk_! I hate talking and discussing feelings and meanings and-"

"You just wanna jump his bones, huh?" Ever said with a smile as she scooped up a bite with a ton of marshmallows in it.

Laxus stared at his dessert for a moment. _I guess it won't hurt to tell her the truth. It's just Ever_. "I guess," he said with a shrug.

"Oh, that's great! Freed has had a thing for you _forever_! But, you know how he is, he overthinks things. I'm sure he's worried you're making a mistake. You hadn't given too many hints that you played for the other team until now."

"I don't know that I do," Laxus said with his mouth full of ice cream. He could see why women ate ice cream when they were feeling depressed. It was amazingly refreshing. _Is this what Erza feels when she eats cake?,_ he wondered.

The leprechaun put a hand on Laxus' knee lovingly. "Honey, you want to have _sex_ with _Freed_." She paused. " _You're gay."_

Laxus was startled by this statement even though he had been thinking virtually nonstop about his sexuality for the last several days. "Can't I like both?" he said genuinely confused.

"Like be a bisexual?" she asked as she thoroughly sucked the rocky road off the spoon. "Sure… but that's gonna be hard to convince Freed of. He's a very black and white thinker."

"Yeah," grunted Laxus. "He's 'giving me space' because he thinks I don't know what I want."

"And do you?"

"I think I do." Laxus set down his bowl of ice cream on the coffee table in front of them and opened the table's small drawer. From it he pulled out a flask emblazoned with the Fairy Tail guild mark and engraved with his initials. He smiled when he saw it, but then remembered that it was a birthday gift from Freed, rolled his eyes. _Everything makes me think of him_ , Laxus grumbled to himself. _I can't even drink in peace._ He took a big swig of whiskey and then wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He took a deep breath and stared at the flask and quietly said, "I _think_ I might want him more than anything."

"Really?!" Ever squealed. She had always secretly hoped they would hook up if for no other reason than she enjoyed being the only woman around. "Well, I don't see how Freed could resist _that_."

She set her spoon down, "But maybe we better test that theory." She weaved her arms through Laxus' and leaned in close to him as he sat there munching on ice cream with a befuddled expression on his face. She took off her shoes and then pressed her breasts into him and reached for his belt.

Laxus jumped up tossing the woman on the couch. "What the hell are you doing, Ever?!"

Ever grinned broadly and pointed at him. "Gay."

"What?!" Laxus' eyes bulged. "I'm not gay just because I won't…" he didn't want to give a word to her nefarious intentions. " _Whatever_ with you. You're like my sister!"

"And Freed's like your brother," she said naughtily. "But you've got it bad for him."

Laxus grumbled. "Get out of my house."

"Not until you tell me why you have Sorcerer Weekly's hottest male mage issue by your bed."

 _When did she even get in my bedroom? What the hell?,_ Laxus thought to himself. He glanced toward his bedroom and saw that he had left the door wide open when he had gotten up to open the front door and at some point in the process the incriminating magazine must have fallen onto the floor.

"You thinking Freed isn't your type? Gonna give Juvia a bit of competition for the stripper?" Ever asked, laughing giddily as though the concept of Laxus coming out was nothing more than a lark for her personal amusement.

Laxus was mortified. "I wasn't gawking at the guys. I swear."

"Why should I believe you?"

Laxus stomped into his room and came back with the magazine. "Here. Read page seven," he said thrusting the magazine toward Ever.

"I'm not touching that thing!" she squealed and leapt backward. Laxus grumbled obscenities.

"I was _reading_ this. _Reading_ ," he emphasized. "You know that thing you do with your eyeballs?" He was pissed at Ever for invading his privacy, but he had to tell her the truth otherwise she would think he had been lying in bed doing nothing but jacking off to pictures of attractive male wizards for the last three days. "I refused to read it until now," Laxus pointed to a letter to the editor. The letter stated that their list of the hottest male mages had overlooked one of the sexiest, namely a certain Thunder God.

"Me and Bickslow and Freed wrote that," Ever said nodding.

"I know. Some people at the guild told me that the three of you were mad when I didn't make the cut this year because the magazine said I was too old and that the three of you had written some kind of letter of complaint to the magazine, but I've been too embarrassed to read it until now."

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Ever told him. "It's all good things."

Laxus nodded as he gazed down at the four paragraph letter to the editor. He had read it over multiple times now, but each time he found himself as surprised as the first time at the level of devotion of the author. It was signed 'Laxus' Number One Fan' and if the person who wrote it thought even a quarter of the things they wrote about him they were indeed his greatest fan.

"How much of it did you write?" Laxus asked awkwardly. He found praise almost as difficult to handle as criticism and the level of praise in the letter extended way beyond the usual polite compliment or two.

Ever frowned guiltily, "I mainly edited." She paused. "But I agree with all of it. I'm just not very good at writing so I left that part up to Bickslow and Freed."

"How much did Bickslow write?"

"The part about how you help the old ladies on your street get their shopping done and stuff like that."

"That the only thing?"

Ever grimaced again. "Yeah, pretty much."

Laxus looked down at the letter. _So, Freed wrote this entire letter_ , Laxus thought. _He practically worships me. No wonder he's nervous about being with me. I know he doesn't have such mighty notions about himself._ "He says the sun 'glimmers' off me as though I'm 'made of alabaster.' I'm not even sure what the fuck that means."

"It means he's very gay and very hot for you," Ever said simply.

Laxus sat back down on the couch. His thoughts were so unrelenting that his head was hurting. "I think I screwed it up."

"How?" Ever asked sitting down beside him.

"I dunno. We were messin' around-"

Ever squealed and then leaned in conspiratorially, "Did you two have sex?"

"No."

"No?" Her surprise was evident in her tone.

"He ran off."

"Ran off?" she shouted at him. What had Laxus done?!

Laxus growled. "Don't make that face at me. He ran off. I didn't do anything wrong and then all of a sudden he's accusing me of making fun of him and all this… this crap."

Ever had to think about this for a bit and ice cream helped her brain to function so she scooped herself up some more. "Maybe it just seemed too good to be true. Just talk to him."

"I tried," Laxus said with a weary sigh.

"Try again. Love is hard work."

"How would you know?" grumbled the lightning mage.

"Elfman and I are _way_ more than just friends," she confessed. Laxus' raised an eyebrow. "I haven't slept in my own bed once since we got back," she said grinning lustfully.

"How the-?"

"Sneaking into the other half of Fairy Hills is _stupidly_ easy. The concept of a gender specific dorm for mages is ludicrous."

"You think I could sneak into Freed's?" The words tumbled out of Laxus' mouth before he knew what he was saying and he turned bright red.

"I think _first_ you should try to tell him how you feel, again, and make him listen. He's probably just convinced you're not gay."

"Bisexual."

"Fine, bisexual, ya damn slut," Ever teased.

They sat in silence munching on their ice cream before Ever got the courage to ask a question she had always wondered. "I have a question about bisexuality," she started. Laxus growled, even though he had proclaimed himself 'bisexual' he didn't exactly appreciate being labeled. "Does that mean hermaphrodites turn you on?"

"Out! Out now!" Laxus thundered pointing to the door and screaming.

"Ok, ok," Ever said gathering what was left of the half gallon of rocky road and dashing around to find her shoes. "But I thought you might want to know that Freed's due back tomorrow on the two o'clock train."

Laxus quit shouting. "Two o'clock?" He said a little too eagerly. Even he could tell he wasn't hiding his excitement well.

"Yes, two o'clock and if you're planning on bringing him back here you better clean this place up. It's become a real sty. And shave. No one likes to kiss a stubble-face."

Laxus rubbed his hand across his face. He had really let himself go. How had that happened in only a few days' time?

 _Shit. I got work to do_ , thought Laxus as he closed the door behind Ever and got to work cleaning his apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

**Risenfromash:** I routinely listen to music on YouTube while I write and the other day as I was working on this the song, "Everyone is Gay" by A Great Big World came on and it seemed really fitting because the song actually talks about bisexuals and I totally see Laxus as able to swing either way even if Freed has a hard time believing it.

 **Part 7:**

 _Maybe this was a mistake_ , Laxus thought, his eyes sweeping over the shelves of the boutique. Laxus wasn't one to be picky when it came to booze, while Freed had a more refined palate which was why the lightning mage had _thought_ that purchasing a special bottle of wine for the two of them to enjoy together was a good idea, but now surrounded by hundreds of libations displayed with tags detailing each's individual flavor profile he was feeling as though he should have chosen a simpler gesture. Laxus glanced at a few of the tags. ' _Woody flavor… with a hint of pencil'? That sounds horrible!_ He groaned. _I don't know what I was expecting. It's not like one is gonna be labeled, 'Will make your best friend drunk enough to screw you.'_ Laxus frowned. _Maybe I should just get him some of those fancy dark chocolate truffles he likes._

When Laxus had first confronted Freed about the rune mage's crush on him Laxus had no plan and had acted entirely on impulse. Unfortunately, this had given Freed the opportunity to doubt that Laxus truly reciprocated Freed's feelings. For almost an entire week Laxus had agonized over the situation in Freed's absence, before deciding that the best way to prove to Freed that he was genuinely attracted to him was to do something thoughtful for Freed… and then follow it up by screwing the hell out of him. And Laxus was determined, but now one of the thoughtful somethings he intended to do was proving to be more challenging than he had expected it to be and he was considering throwing in the towel on the 'thoughtful' part of the plan and instead simply dragging Freed into his bed and raping him. _I may have to do that anyway,_ Laxus thought to himself as he continued to peruse the wines having no idea what any of the listed information actually meant.

"Can I help you, sir?" said an attractive auburn-haired young saleswoman. Rounding the corner of one of the tables set with an elaborate display of pinot noirs, she recognized the infamous lightning wizard. "Oh…ah… Mr. Dreyar is it? What can I do to help?"

"I'd like to buy a nice bottle of wine," Laxus said, relieved for the help, but disappointed about being recognized. He preferred the anonymity he had enjoyed before the Grand Magic Games, but these days he was getting recognized more and more everywhere he went and sometimes it made him feel like punching people.

"Well, you've come to the right place," the salesgirl said. "Do you prefer red or white?"

"Red," Laxus said confidently.He knew Freed liked red wine. _Ok, maybe I can do this,_ he said in an attempt to reassure himself.

"Excellent and what will you be pairing it with?"

 _Ah, shit…_ "Uh… pairing?" asked the lightning mage, and the saleswoman realized her mistake. Even though she imagined that the world-renowned mage was often in the company of the rich and famous, he must not be terribly knowledgeable about wine himself. "What _meal_ do you intend to have with the wine?"

"Oh, ah, I wasn't planning to have it with food. Can't you just drink it by itself?" he asked confused. He'd never bought a bottle of wine before in his life. _Maybe I should have just snuck behind the bar at Fairy Tail and stuffed a bottle under my coat._

"Of course you can have a glass of wine by itself, but I would suggest that perhaps you have something small to eat with it like an appetizer or antipasto…" Laxus frowned. He didn't know what people who were 'antipasta' usually ate. This was sounding too complicated. "Otherwise, you may not be able to fully experience the wine and you'll find yourself feeling the effects of the alcohol faster-"

"That's fine," Laxus interrupted perhaps a bit too eagerly.

The salesperson smiled knowingly. "Is this perhaps a bottle of wine for a night with a special lady?"

Laxus nodded just a little. _Should I correct her and tell her my date is a man?_ Laxus wondered. _It doesn't really matter right?_ _Would it upset Freed if I don't correct her and let her think my date is a woman?_ Laxus had no idea how his friend would feel about that, but he was already feeling out of his element enough that he decided to skirt the issue of gender. "It's our first date." _There. Problem solved,_ he told himself. _That was amazingly easy. It's like I've been living in the closet my whole life_ , he marveled.

The saleswoman's eyes lingered on Laxus' muscular arms. "Well, she certainly is a lucky lady!"

Laxus gulped. Dammit. Could this woman just say my 'date' for Mavis' sake? How god damned hard is that?

"Tell me a little bit about her. What does she like to eat?"

"Chocolate… eggplant parmesan… these weird deep-fried egg things… a bunch of stuff I think is disgusting."

She smiled. "So, is it safe to say that she is more of the connoisseur then?"

"Yeah," Laxus added. He closed his eyes. He found it comforting to picture Freed when he talked about him but every time the saleslady said 'she' it jarred the vision of his friend in his head.

"Well, perhaps she would like a desert wine then…"

Laxus became conscious of the fact he wasn't listening to a word of what the saleswoman was saying to him about the various wines. "I'll take that one," Laxus said interrupting her monologuing about the shooting star shaped bottle of merlot she presently held in her hands in her hands. _Any wine from here should be fancy enough to impress him. I don't think it really matters which one. I just gotta get out of her before-_

"Are you sure? I want to make sure you go home with something that will satisfy your girlfriend-"

"My date is a man!" Laxus blurted out. "He's a man, ok?!"

The woman was so startled by the mage's sudden outburst she almost dropped the bottle of wine she was holding.

"Oh! I'm sorry-" she exclaimed nervously.

"I'm not," Laxus grunted misunderstanding her apology.

"I didn't mean it like that," the salesgirl said with a smile. "I meant I'm sorry if my assumption made you uncomfortable. I'm sure he's a lovely person."

"Oh, I thought you meant… never mind," mumbled Laxus, embarrassed. He crossed his arms. "And he is a very nice person."

"I'm sure he is. Tell me about him," she said.

"Who? Freed?"

"Your boyfriend," she said nodding.

Laxus felt his cheeks flush. "He's not my… it's only our first date!"

"So, you don't know him well, then," she said gently.

Laxus shook his head. "No, we've been friends for a long time. We'd just never… I mean, _I_ had never thought about him like that until…" _Why am I telling the saleslady all this? Shut up, Laxus! What is she your therapist? Shut up! What is my problem? Do I have diarrhea of the mouth today?! This was a bad idea. This entire thing was a bad idea. What am I doing trying to seduce Freed?! What the hell is wrong with me?!_

The woman smiled kindly and set the bottle she'd been holding back on the shelf. "It sounds to me like you need something even more special than this…" she pondered for a moment. "Hold on… I know just the thing. It's perfect." The woman excused herself and dashed into a back room and came back with an extra narrow green bottle emblazoned with a silver label with elaborate script on it. Something about it told Laxus that the redhead was right. _This is the one._

"This is a _superb_ vintage. It has a subtle woodsy taste, _very masculine_ , but it also incorporates cocoa and a hint of apple and it's excellent by itself," and then leaning toward the blonde, she added softly, "And between you and me, it packs a bit of a punch. It's a good wine to take the edge off."

Laxus smiled. Maybe she moonlighted as a therapist. "I'll take it."

"It is significantly more expensive, but-"

"That's fine," Laxus said as a hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "I'm sure he'll love it."

Back at his apartment Laxus gave the place and himself a once over: he'd put new sheets on the bed, shaved his face, the bottle of wine was chilling in a bowl of ice, and he was wearing a new shirt he had bought special for the occasion… and sniffing his armpits affirmed that he wasn't smelling offensive. _Now if only the guest of honor would hurry up and get his butt here,_ he thought. He didn't think he'd ever been this impatient for anything. The waiting was torturous because it gave him time to think and if _he_ was thinking then Freed definitely was thinking and that meant overthinking and worrying and being stupid about things. _He's probably telling himself that there is no way in hell I'm attracted to him. But I am and I've tried to tell him, but he won't listen so this is what I've got to do…_

His anxiety made him begin to pace back and forth.

 _What am I doing?_ Laxus thought. _I've never dated a man. I've never had sex with a man. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Hell, I've never even brought anybody back to my apartment before._ He was starting to panic a little on the inside even though on the outside he looked the same as always.

He told himself that it was all going to be ok because it wasn't like he was bringing home some stranger. He was bringing home his best friend. _It's_ Freed _. I'm doing this for_ Freed _. Freed who cooks me a gourmet meal every year for my birthday. Freed who is always challenging me to become an even better mage. Freed who always had my back. He grinned. Freed who washes my back for me. Freed who stares into my eyes… Freed who gave the most amazing back massages. Freed who has always loved me._

 _So, maybe I don't know_ exactly _what I'm doing._ He chuckled. _When do I ever?_ _I know I want him and he certainly wants me. That should be enough for now, and something tells me if I can just get him in bed with me I may never let him get out._

The lightning mage stopped pacing and sat down thinking he'd get a little shut eye before heading to the train station to meet Freed. He leaned back and closed his eyes and found himself imagining sitting there with Freed. He saw himself pulling Freed into his lap and kissing him. _But what if he doesn't play along?_ _What if he starts arguing with me?_ Laxus frowned. _What if he starts debating my sexuality?_ A smirk appeared on his face and the daydream was altered slightly. Instead, of the mage being pulled to Laxus' lips, Laxus was leaning over the emerald-haired mage who was flushed and breathing heavily. Laxus was pressed against the other man in a sensual way as he released his green locks from the neat ponytail that normally held them restrained. Laxus imagined the sensation of the silken strands slipping between his fingers. Suddenly, their clothes evaporated leaving the two men naked and Laxus was positioning himself to enter and- Laxus' eyes sprung open. He had it bad. He'd never been this hot for anyone before. How could this have built up in just a week?

 _It's all his fault_ , Laxus mumbled, happy in his misery. _It's the way he looks at me and the way he blushes when I touch him. And those little green adorable little lightning bolts on head. They're gonna look so cute springing up and down as I…_ Laxus tried to shut down that line of thought. He was turned on enough already. _Oh, Mavis, let it be time for his train to get here._ Laxus glanced at the clock. It was early yet, but he feared that if he stayed at home he was liable to mess something up he had worked to clean… like the bed sheets or the shower… so he decided to head to the train station a little early and listen to music while he waited.

As he walked to the depot he started feeling more like himself. Maybe it was the upbeat music or maybe it was because he believed that if he seemed sure of himself Freed would go along with whatever he wanted. _The key is to not show any doubt. If I do, he'll try to run off again. And if he says that's he's thought about it and he thinks it's best for the two of us to just continue as friends I'll just pick him up and_ carry _him to my place. I'm not going to let him get away this time. He has to see that I've thought about this and I haven't changed my mind. I want him even though he's a man a man who wears a_ stupid _tucked in scarf_ every single _day. It's like he stepped out of time. Like some kind of prince…_ Laxus blushed. He was pretty sure that desiring a prince charming wasn't very manly. _He's more of the girl, though,_ he told himself as he tried to rationalize the fact his taste in mates was not exactly what one might expect of a big, tough guy.

 _Truth is… it doesn't matter. It's crazy, but maybe I've wanted him all along… I was just too big an idiot to realize it… or I couldn't get past the scarf thing._

Laxus had managed to quell most of his butterflies by the time he reached the train station and took a seat on a bench inside the station. _He loves me. He's just scared, but I can remind Freed that he's no scaredy cat. He's a brave warrior who has never turned his back on an adventure… and maybe this is our next mission together…_

Laxus sat on the bench daydreaming about a future where he and his friend did all the things together they had always done, but at the end of the day didn't part ways but instead curled up together under the same blankets, in the same bed, in the same home and the thought made the magic within him brim till he was practically glowing.


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8:

Freed was weary and covered in a thin layer of dust from the road by the time he made it back to Magnolia. The return trip had proven itself more trying than the mission, making him all too happy to set down his backpack and the sturdy black leather satchel he was carrying the moment he entered the guild hall. He stretched his neck and arms and let out a little groan and then made a beeline for the bar to order himself a drink.

"How'd the mission go?" greeted Mira, as she dried a shot glass.

"Fine, but I could use a drink," he said with a sigh.

"What'll you have?"

The question caused Freed's forehead to crease ever so slightly as he considered his choices. As he pondered the seemingly limitless choices of the Fairy Tail bar he heard a voice call his name from behind him. The voice was familiar but he couldn't immediately place it.

Turning around he saw Rufus of Sabretooth making his way towards him from across the guild hall.

"Hello," Freed said surprised to see that a member of a sister guild was paying Fairy Tail a visit. "What brings you to Fairy Tail?"

"Frosch got separated from Rogue and since the last time he got lost he turned up here I volunteered to come see if anyone had seen him," Rufus explained as he made himself comfortable on the bar stool next to Freed. "Sting and Rogue went to the nearest frog ponds and Yukina went to the candy shop… Frosch likes the lollipops."

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him," Freed said. "But I just got in myself by stagecoach from Gagonia." The rune mage shook his head in agitation. "The damned train broke down."

Rufus appeared puzzled. "You were on a mission by yourself?" His question had an intensity about it that Freed would have picked up on had he not been distracted by hunger, thirst, and a more than ample heap of exhaustion.

"Yes, I find a solo mission to be a refreshing change of pace every now and then, as much as I enjoy being the leader of the Thunder Legion."

A sly smile appeared on Rufus' face. "What are you drinking tonight?"

"Mmmm," Freed murmured in thought as he rubbed his neck and twisted it this way and that trying to loosen a stubborn kink from it that had developed as he bounced around in the cabin of the coach. "I think I'll have a Tequila Sunrise."

"An excellent choice for the early evening," Rufus said. "I'll have one as well. Mira, two Tequila Sunrises, please… on me."

"Oh, you don't need-" Freed began politely.

"It is my pleasure," Rufus said scooching himself closer to Freed. "Your neck bothering you?"

Freed nodded. "I think I tensed up on the walk from lugging my packs." He smiled. "It'll be worth it though. I managed to get in a second job and was offered either jewels or some rare tomes on runic magic, and I, of course, took the books." Freed gestured to the spot near the door where he had dropped his baggage. The leather satchel bulged at the sides like an overindulgent pig.

"You carried all that by yourself?" asked Rufus.

"I'm stronger than I look," Freed said as Mira handed him his drink.

"Indeed," Rufus said as he appraised his fellow mage's body. "Here let me help you loosen up those tight muscles." Before Freed had time to say anything Rufus' hands were on his shoulders rubbing in what he had to admit were just the right spots, and while Freed was startled by this sudden invasion of his personal space the back massage felt too good for him to object. Instead, he moaned in pleasure.

"Ohhh, thank you. That feels really good," Freed said closing his eyes. Mira watched the interaction of the two men with interest she didn't even attempt to hide it as she busied herself with tasks behind the bar and ignored several requests for refills of food and beverages from the other side of the hall.

 _Those two make a cute couple_ , she thought as she tried to come up with some creative way to get Rufus and Freed and Laxus and Lisanna to go on some kind of adventure together that would be suspiciously like a double date.

Rufus asked Freed about his recent mission and Freed obliged with a general overview of the mission downplaying his own heroism and skills as was his way.

"So, you created a protective barrier around the entire town?" Rufus asked impressed.

"Yes, really the size of the barrier doesn't really matter. The challenging part is knowing the appropriate parameters of the spell you cast so that you don't leave any ambiguity to the conditions."

"I've heard that your barriers are virtually impregnable," Rufus said softly close to Freed's ear as he continued to rub Freed's neck and shoulders.

"They are," Freed said with a small nod. "I create rules for them that are very strict and if the conditions are not met a person cannot enter or exit, as I desire. They put me in complete control."

"Fascinating," Rufus said. He had ceased rubbing Freed's shoulders but his hands lingered near his neck under his long jade-colored hair.

"It would be incredibly difficult for someone such as yourself to combat them because while you could easily copy the spell you still couldn't adequately change the parameters."

Rufus removed his hat and placed it on the counter. "Rune magic is rarely recognized as the powerhouse it truly is."

Freed sipped his drink. He was beginning to feel more human, the drink and the back massage having done the trick.

"Thank you," Freed said kindly to the man in red. "I feel a lot better now."

"Any time," Rufus said as he gazed at his drinking companion with a great intensity.

 _I wonder where Laxus is,_ Freed thought as he scanned the guild hall. His normal spot at the bar was being occupied by Rufus and there was no sign of him by the pool table or in the corner with Gajeel, either. _I hope he's alright. I really shouldn't have left without saying goodbye to him. I don't know what came over me. Love can make a man do strange things, I suppose. I was just so worried that he'd do something with me he would regret later. I don't want him to have to go through that…_

As Freed was considering what might be going through the lightning mage's head he became aware that Rufus was still talking to him. _Oops…_ , Freed thought as he tuned back into the conversation he had failed to follow. "Each branch of magic has strengths and weaknesses, and it is mastery of both that, I believe, makes a mage truly skilled."

Freed nodded politely to acknowledge Rufus' statement, but felt that this subject was far too pedestrian to be discussing in the guild hall of the greatest wizard guild in all of Fiore, especially at the end of a long day.

 _What am I going to do if Laxus says he still wants to give us a try?_ The thought made Freed's heart flutter. _What if he swears he isn't just doing it to make me happy and that he honestly, genuinely wants to be with me? I'll faint. That's what I'll do! He's everything I want… I don't have the strength to push him away again. If he kisses me, I'm just going to give myself to him. Oh, who am I kidding? He already has my heart and soul… it's only my body he has yet to claim._ Freed was feeling incredibly hot and he reached up to his throat and loosened his silken scarf a little. _Good God, Rufus is still talking. That man thinks he's brilliant, doesn't he? I would have thought Gray managing to defeat him in the Grand Magic Games would have been a humbling experience, but I suppose there's no helping some people…_

"I've memorized a number of interesting texts on runic magic from communities to the south that I've visited," bragged Rufus.

This comment attracted Freed's attention. It had long been on Freed's to-do list to study a certain set of runic symbols that were painted on the walls of caves to the south of Magnolia several thousands of years prior.

"Like those in the Jelly Valley region?" Freed asked finally finding one of the Sabretooth member's comments to be of interest.

"Precisely."

"I would love to discuss with you some of what you've learn-"

"Memorized," Rufus said tapping his forehead.

 _Asshole_ , Freed thought.

"Remember," Rufus said. "It's what I do."

 _His memorization is impressive, but he'd never beat Laxus in a fight. Rufus tries to be clever and witty, and while he was showing off Laxus would school him. Laxus would pound him into the ground with one thunder clap._ Freed smiled, but said nothing. He found the image of Laxus KOing the formidable opponent strangely erotic.

"I'd be interested in taking a look at these texts you just acquired," Rufus told him.

"Well, perhaps sometime we can get togeth-"

"How about tomorrow night?" Rufus asked eagerly.

"That should be fine," Freed said preoccupied by his other thoughts. "Mira, do you know where Laxus is?"

"He's been sick, sweetie," Mira said gently.

Alarmed, Freed leapt from his chair. "Sick?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

"We didn't want you to do that," she said laughing. "He's fine. He's just been staying in bed the last few days."

"Does he have a fever? It isn't a form of magic deficiency syndrome is it?"

"I don't actually know. He said it was just a cold and not to worry."

 _And she believed him. How could she be so foolish? Laxus has far too much pride to admit when he needs help!_

"I'm sorry, Rufus," apologized Freed. "But I must cut this short. I need to go check on Laxus."

"Of course, we'll talk later," Rufus said a grin upon his face. "You must see to your comrade, I understand."

Freed rushed from the guild hall leaving his unfinished drink and all his luggage including the precious books he had just obtained behind. He ran to Laxus' apartment and pounded on the door. There was no answer.

"Laxus? Laxus, it's me. Are you ok?" There was still no answer. He stepped off the cobblestone porch and tried to peer in the window, but the curtains were obstructing his view. He knocked on the window. "Laxus, if you're in there, please open the door."

 _I never should have left him. He doesn't take good enough care of himself. How could I have been so stupid?_ The more Freed recalled other times that Laxus had been bed-ridden the more upset he became. He pounded on the door more frantically.

"Laxus, you in there?!" He shouted.

"He's not home."

Freed turned around and saw an elderly woman standing in the street behind him. Freed surmised she must be one of Laxus' neighbors. "He must be feeling better today because he's been coming and going a lot."

His worst fears at least temporarily abated, Freed placed his hand on his chest in relief. "Oh, thank the heavens. I was so worried about him."

The woman stared at Freed, studying him, as people often did when they witnessed the level of devotion Freed had to his friend. Freed sensed the woman's curiosity, but he refused to be embarrassed. _I don't care what anyone thinks._ _No one has the right to make me ashamed of who I love and Laxus is my love and it is my job to care for him and I have been grossly negligent in my duties. I never should have left. I must tell him how very sorry I am. I will_ never _leave him like this again, even if it means I must endure tremendous pain._

With chin held high, Freed asked the elderly woman, "Do you know where he is? He isn't at the guild hall."

"I don't know, but the last time I saw him he was headed that way," the woman said pointing to the northwest corner of Magnolia.

"Thank you." Freed said bowing politely before dashing in the direction the woman had indicated. "Thank you very much!"

The woman said nothing more, but stared at Freed as he ran away.

Freed ran toward the northwest hoping that the intimate connection he had with his friend would somehow help guide him to his location, but Freed knew it was out of character for the lightning mage to venture far from home or the guild hall unless it was for a mission. _And with his terrible sense of direction who knows where he could end up_ , thought Freed. _He's nearly as bad as Frosch_ , Freed thought, his lips turning up at their corners as he thought of his love. _Is there anything I don't love about him?_ He thought with a wistful sigh. _Dear Mavis, I am so in love with the man._ _I've given him time and if he shows any sign that he wants me, I will be all over him. I will be his. I will give myself entirely to him as often as he will have me and even if it is only for today I will happily endure all the days from now till my death knowing that for a day he loved me just as I love him. Just let me find him!_

After at least a half hour of unsuccessful searching, Freed grumbled to himself, _I've been foolish. I should have asked the woman if he had his pack with him. He could have also gone on a solo mission. Would serve me right if he left without telling anyone._

Freed was feeling greatly discouraged. Where would Laxus have gone if not to the guild hall? _Or maybe, he's there now. Perhaps, I just missed him,_ Freed thought trying to hold onto some hope of finding his friend. _I guess I'll go back there now and check, but if he isn't there…?_ Freed's head hung low as he turned to head back the way he had come, but as he took his first step toward Fairy Tail the clock tower of the train station began to chime. One… two… The sound seemed to be speaking to him alone. Freed turned toward the ringing. Three… four… _You don't suppose…? No, I'm sure he wouldn't…_ Five… Six… Seven… _But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check just to rule it out as a possibility._

Freed ran into the train station, through the main entrance, and into the large marbledhall and looked around. Glancing at the posted arrivals and departures he saw the train he was supposed to have returned on was still labeled as 'delayed' with no expected time of arrival posted.

 _If they knew the train broke down even if Laxus had been here he wouldn't have stayed here. He would have gone home. I guess I could see if maybe he's in the bathhouse or if Bix knows where he's-_

It was then Freed noticed the silhouette of a large man sitting on a bench. The sun was setting so he could only make out the outline of the man's bulky shape, so he could have convinced himself it wasn't Laxus were it not for the distinctive spikes present on either side of his head where the person's ears would be.

"Laxus!" Freed shouted, but the thunder mage didn't respond because he had his head phones on. Freed ran over to him and came around the bench. Laxus' eyes were closed, but he wasn't snoring so Freed knew he was awake.

Freed touched his arm gently so as not to startle him. His friend's eyes fluttered open and he glanced at the arrivals gate to confirm that no train had pulled up without him taking notice. Sliding his headphones from his ears, Laxus asked, "Where'd you come from?"

"I took a stagecoach. There was a woman on the train who needed to get through bandit country and so I offered to accompany her and she was kind enough-"

Laxus smiled. "I should have guessed that you'd be helping a damsel in distress."

Freed blushed, "You would have done the same thing. It's the duty of a mage."

"You're so duty bound," Laxus murmured as the men stared at one another. They stood there for a moment their eyes staring into one another's neither one sure what to say or do.

Nervously, Freed took half a step closer to Laxus. "You look good in that color," Freed whispered. "It reminds me of the night sky."

"That's why I like it."

"What's the occasion?" Freed asked feeling a little funny inside.

"You," Laxus whispered in his ear huskily. Freed's heart felt as though it might jump out of his chest and his face turned as red as a tomato. Laxus chuckled. _He's so into me_ , Laxus thought. _I've just gotta keep him like this and not let him start thinking._

"Come on," Laxus said tipping his head toward the exit. Freed fell into step next to his friend as they left the depot.

"I missed you," Freed said slowly. "I'm sor-"

The words were cut off by Laxus' lips crashing into Freed's. He didn't want an apology. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to fuck. He wanted to turn that studious, trustworthy gentleman into a wild, sex-crazed maniac. _He's got me horny as hell_ , Laxus admitted to himself as he wrapped an arm around the other mage's waist. _I'm going to make him scream my name. I want to make every single cell he has in that stubborn body of his vibrate with pleasure and then I want him to beg me to do it to him again._

Freed was breathing heavily and pressing himself into Laxus and Laxus happily pulled him even closer as his tongue slid into the mouth of the emerald-haired mage.

Laxus was surprised to find that he didn't feel awkward or nervous even though he was kissing Freed in the middle of the street. Being with Freed felt like home. _Oh, dear Mavis, I could do anything to him. It's so incredibly hot…_

As though in a reverie, Freed felt as though he had no ability to fight the events transpiring, nor did he wish to. This was _exactly_ what Freed had longed for since the day he had met the Thunder God. He had tried to push his interest away thinking it best for his friend, but it had taken all of the rune mage's strength and he would no longer attempt to fight the passion that was sparking between him and his friend. He would give himself freely to Laxus and let him do whatever he wanted.

For a moment their lips parted and their eyes opened. They stared at one another as if seeing each 0other for the first time. Then Freed extended his neck to initiate another kiss.

 _He's going to kiss me,_ Laxus thought. _And he's not objecting. I've done it! I think…_ His thoughts melted away as he watched Freed's tender lips approach his and just as their eyes closed and their lips met the ground beneath them began to rumble and there was a blast of horns.

The two mages leapt apart, each of them scanning the area as a giant fissure appeared between them and began to grow.

"What the?!" Laxus exclaimed angrily as he contemplated what painful thing he would do to whoever was interrupting his special moment with Freed.

Freed unsheathed his rapier and swung it around looking everywhere for the mage responsible. Was Rufus playing a trick on them? Or perhaps it was a dark guild?

"Hello, Laxus!" a jovial voice shouted up from the cavern that had been cut in the street. "Freed!"

Laxus relaxed his battle stance. "God _damn_ you, Guildarts! What are you doing back so soon?"

Freed laughed so heartily he almost fell over. He had never before been in the street when the gravity magician arrived in town and it hadn't even occurred to him that was what was happening.

"Almost lost another limb," the lighthearted wizard shouted back. "After a close one like that I need a stiff drink and a hug and kiss from my beautiful daughter. Care to join me?"

"No," Laxus shouted down. "Sorry, Freed and I have plans. Maybe tomorrow if you're still around."

Freed blushed at the word 'plans' and it made Laxus grin at him from the other side of the canyon.

"Ok, see ya around," hollered Guildarts as he proceeded to Fairy Tail.

Eventually the canyon in the road narrowed and the architecture of the street and the surrounding buildings returned to normal and Freed was returned to Laxus' arms.

Freed smiled at him, his cheeks flushed and he opened his mouth to say something that Laxus _knew_ was going to be an admission of his love.

 _He loves me. He's going to say it and then I'm going to take his hand and lead him to my place and we are going to have the most amazing night of our lives…_

"Laxus." The Thunder God smiled and inhaled deeply as though he wanted to take in the very essence of what Freed was about to say. "I need to go back to the guild hall," Freed said.

Laxus blinked a couple of times and then growled at the man cradled in his arms. "What? You can't be serious?!"

"I left my stuff there," Freed said defensively. "I heard that you were sick and I-"

"Oh," Laxus said immediately understanding. Freed's concern for his friend's health tended to be a bit extreme. "Fine, but _five minutes_ and five minutes _only_. I am not sticking around to have a drinking contest with Cana or to kick Natsu's butt-"

"That wouldn't take more than a moment," Freed said beaming with the pride he had whenever he discussed Laxus' strength.

"I don't care," Laxus said. "We are going to get your bags, we are not going to talk to anyone, and then you are coming to my place and doing exactly what I tell you."

Freed let out a giggle as though he were drinking liquor and experiencing his first ever buzz. Giddily he stretched his lips to kiss Laxus' chin.

"You better stop," Laxus said with a smirk. "Or I'll take you right here in the street."

Freed's eyes grew to be the size of saucers and Laxus laughed at his innocent expression.

"Don't you play innocent with me," Laxus growled. "You know exactly what I want." Freed's chest was full of flutters.

"What you want?" Freed asked.

"You," Laxus whispered. "And, for Gods' sake, hurry up. I'm horny."


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9:

"Remember, no talking, no hanging out, no drinking. We go in for your bags and then we get out," Laxus said before opening the door to Fairy Tail. Immediately upon entry to the guild hall, shouts rang out hailing the two mages and inviting them to partake in the usual hijinks afoot. Laxus nodded in acknowledgement of the welcome, but Freed simply stood there frozen.

"What's wrong?" Laxus asked him.

"My bags. I left them right here. They were _right here_ ," said Freed as he stared at a spot on the floor next to one of the long wooden tables just inside of the main entrance to Fairy Tail. For a moment it appeared as though he thought glowering at the floor would make his luggage reappear, but this technique failed and so he moved on to peering under the table and then rushing over to the next table to do the same to it. "What the hell?" Freed muttered as he jogged around searching for his bags.

Laxus groaned. They were supposed to be jetting in to grab Freed's stuff and then leaving so they could get back to his plan for the evening, but somehow he had known that this errand would prove itself to be more complicated than that. _Such is the life of a Fairy Tail mage_ , Laxus thought with a sigh.

It wasn't Iike Freed to lose things, but both of them had been under a lot of stress lately so he figured it was _possible_ his friend had gotten confused. "You're sure you left them here?" Laxus asked trying not to expose his irritation at the delay in debauchery.

"Yes, I _know_ I did," Freed said decisively. "I placed them there as soon as I came through the door. They were quite an encumbrance."

 _And whose fault was that?,_ Laxus thought. _Freed really needs to learn some archive magic or start reading some god damned paperbacks or he'll destroy his back by the time he's forty._

"Maybe I left them in the bathroom, but I swear I set them _right here_ as soon as I walked through the door…" the rune mage mumbled to himself as he retraced his steps from the guild hall entrance pantomiming everything he did when he first arrived there about an hour ago.

 _There's my date, looking like a crazy person._ Laxus grumbled to himself as he scanned the hall for Freed's luggage. _Only Freed could manage to lose his luggage_ after _he got back home. He can't lose it while on a mission. That would be too normal._

"Maybe Mira did something with them," Laxus called over to Freed, who was checking the cupboard they kept the extra pool ques in.

"Maybe," Freed answered, unconvinced.

"You could ask her," Laxus encouraged and Freed halted his hunting for a moment to exchange a knowing glance with his friend. _He wants me to ask her because he's still avoiding her because of her damned insistence that he go out with Lisanna. I really need to do something about that if we're to have any peace…_ "I'll just pop into the lavatory and see if perhaps I left them there."

As Freed began to cross the dining area toward the men's room he heard a voice shout his name. Laxus heard it, too, and turned to see that the person calling Freed's name was Rufus who was sitting in Laxus' normal seat at the bar.

"You found Laxus!" Rufus shouted as he motioned for Freed to come over.

 _Oh, no. It's that cocky Sabretooth bastard_ , bemoaned Laxus. _I can't_ stand _him._

"Have you seen my bags?" Freed hollered back as he walked toward the bar.

Rufus smiled. "Yes, I took the liberty of bringing them over here. You wouldn't want them walking off on their own."

 _So you moved them. How helpful_ , Laxus thought sarcastically as he followed Freed over to where Rufus was seated.

"Thank you," Freed said politely even though he and Laxus both knew he would have preferred his things to have stayed where he had left them, thereby saving himself from going through the upset of thinking he had somehow lost them.

Rufus turned to talk to Freed, but made no move to return his bags to him. As Rufus offered to buy Freed another drink, Laxus spied Freed's backpack and satchel resting at Rufus' feet tucked between his seat and the bar. Ignoring Rufus entirely, Laxus reached beneath the bar and gave the backpack a tug but it was wedged such that if he forced it too much he'd end up ripping the strap off if he wasn't careful.

"Are you positive you won't stay for another drink, Freed?" Rufus asked in what Laxus could swear was a flirty manner. Laxus frowned. _Yet another reason not to like the condescending prick._

The memorization mage continued his attempt to persuade Freed to stay as Laxus grunted and made an exaggerated tug on the backpack in an effort to get Rufus to realize he needed to move his stool. He either ignored this or didn't notice as he said to Freed, "You should relax and let loose. It sounds like you've been working mighty hard. A man needs his leisure time."

"No, Laxus and I have plans," Freed answered completely oblivious to Rufus' dallying tone.

 _Oh, Freed, you're such an idiot sometimes_ , Laxus thought. _The asshole is hitting on you and you haven't got a clue. This is why you've never been out on any dates… well, that and your obsession with me. Which I think I'm becoming ok with. Certainly, anything is better than being with this asshole. He'd probably say pretentious things during sex about how he memorized the best techniques._ Laxus growled out loud without intending to.

"Excuse me," Freed said politely as he reached in front of Laxus. "We just need to get my things."

"Oh, of course," Rufus said pretending to be a gentleman, but moving his stool a miniscule amount.

Laxus glared at him and yanked each bag out one at a time. "I'll take this one," Laxus said indicating the bulging satchel and Freed blushed a little because he knew Laxus was intentionally taking the heavier bag for him. _He's so thoughtful,_ Freed mused to himself. _And his kisses are divine… I can hardly wait to get my hands all over that tattoo of his…_ He awoke from his daydream when a nerve in his back spasmed as he slid his backpack on.

Rufus noticed Freed wince and frowned. "You sure you wouldn't like another back massage?"

Laxus' nostrils flared. Someone had been touching Freed without his permission… someone he disliked. And what was this about 'another' massage?

"I'll make sure it gets taken care of," said Laxus gruffly.

"You sure?" Rufus said gazing into Freed's eyes as though he was trying to cast some kind of enchantment on him. "People say I give amazing massages."

 _Just when I thought I couldn't despise this guy any more than I already do,_ Laxus thought.

"Freed will be fine," Laxus said beginning to turn away.

"All right then," conceded Rufus. "I will _force_ myself to survive the evening without your companionship, but I shan't let it happen again tomorrow. How about seven o'clock? Shall I pick you up at Fairy Hills or would you prefer to meet me at the restaurant, Wild Abandon?"

Laxus came to a standstill. _Freed is dating other people now? Did he actually agree to go on a date with this douchebag?! For_ fifteen years _he doesn't date anyone and now that I realize I'm falling for the guy he starts dating other people? What is going on in that head of his?!_ Laxus fumed. _If he thinks he can-_

"I don't think it matters," Freed answered Rufus off-handedly as he turned to follow Laxus. "You could just stop by my apartment and-"

Laxus whirled around and growled, "That's not a good idea," as Rufus' eyes lit up. _That bastard wants to get Freed alone on the first date! And Freed has no idea! I won't stand by while he's taken advantage of!_

"No, Laxus," Freed said shaking his head. "It makes more sense than me lugging the books anywhere else. Rufus, you can stop by around seven and-"

"Did you ask Freed out on a date?" Laxus asked his jaw locked, his brow furrowed with irritation.

Freed shook his head. _Is Laxus getting jealous? Doesn't he know I only have eyes for him? Rufus and I are just getting together for some scholarly-_

"Yes," the master of memorization said smugly. "And I am looking forward to it. Aren't you?"

Rufus grasped Freed's left hand, bringing it to his lips and planting a kissing right on top of the sacred symbol of Fairy Tail.

Freed was aghast. "I'm sorry!" he said and Laxus could read the panic on his face. It was obvious that this was not what Freed had intended. "There's been a misunderstanding," Freed said as he tried to slip his hand free, but Rufus clutched it more tightly.

"Not here. Freed, you are enchanting and I want the opportunity to get to know you better… shall we say more intimately?" Freed was getting very pale and shaking a little as Rufus' other arm wrapped around Freed, his hand clearly planning to rest lower than Freed's belt.

Freed looked to Laxus with eyes pleading for help, but he needn't have bothered; Laxus was already dropping the bag of books to the ground and assuming a dueling stance. "Get your hands off of him," growled Laxus. The dragon slayer kept his voice low not wanting to draw attention to the situation.

"Excuse me?" Rufus was confused, but made no move to release Freed.

"I said, don't touch Freed," Laxus' voice was barely audible over the echoing of clanking dishes and conversation in the hall, but the sparks of lightning flashing around him would have been more than enough to indicate to anyone that he was incredibly angry.

Freed gazed at his love. This was just like the day they had met. Freed had held his own that day until he had been ganged up on by multiple members of the treasure hunting guild. Realizing he was outnumbered and outgunned he had attempted to flee but had taken a wrong turn and ended up in an alley with no way out. He had thought he was done for, and then Laxus had appeared. _He's always there to save me, just like a god._

Rufus' eyes narrowed as he appraised the situation still unwilling to release the rune mage from his possession. "Does the Thunder God have a problem with Freed going out with me?" He laughed loudly. "Must I have you sign a permission slip?" He said in a mocking tone as he smiled at Freed as though this was terribly amusing. "I promise I'll get him back in time for your next mission," Rufus said winking at Freed making the rune mage recoil.

" _Let go of him_ ," Laxus ordered as Freed tried to worm his way out of the embrace which entrapped him. "He's not interested."

"What are you so upset about?" Rufus asked with indifference. "Worried that I might show him a better time than Fairy Tail?"

Laxus took a swing at Rufus but Freed caught his arm and using every bit of his strength stopped his arm. "Laxus, he didn't hurt me. Remember, we're friends with Sabretooth now."

"I'm not," Laxus said watching as Rufus vanished and reappeared in a different spot. His teleportation skills had improved greatly since the Grand Magic Games.

"Why won't you let bygones be bygones? _You won._ You're the 'top' guild again. Your family honor is restored-" Rufus touched his hand to his lips in faux embarrassment. "Oh, I forgot about your dad… I guess that's still a black mark, but nonetheless-"

"Rufus," Freed shouted as he unsheathed his sword and brandished it toward the Sabretooth member. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but insulting a man's guild and family is not something I find at all attractive and angering Laxus and me is a _very_ dumb thing to do."

Rufus tossed his head defiantly. "Oh, come on! I'm just having a bit of fun. You two need to loosen up. I'm not trying to recruit you or something! Just take you out for a fun evening… or weekend," his eyes perused Freed's body but this time Freed had his sword in hand and Laxus by his side so Freed didn't draw back in fear but merely curled his tongue in distaste at being the objectified.

"Rufus," Laxus said as he glared at the man in the flamboyantly feathered hat. "I don't like anyone who comes into someone else's home like they own the place and starts taking things that don't belong to them."

"Now see here," Rufus said annoyed. "I only moved Freed's bags to protect-"

"I'm not _talking_ about Freed's _bags_ ," Laxus said as he moved closer to Freed and took Freed's hand in his, a little thunderclap appearing above their clasped hands.

Rufus' eyes protruded as he stared at the hand he had defiled with his smug lips mere moments before. Laxus was holding hands with Freed in a very… _loving_ way… Then it dawned on him. They were _together_?! Laxus and Freed were like a couple or something?

"Freed, put your sword away," Laxus ordered. "He can say anything he wants about my father, I don't care. But he needs to get one thing straight, and that's that you're taken. You got that, Rufus?" Laxus asked the memorization mage with an unwavering gaze clearly meant to intimidate.

As Freed sheathed his sword he stared at his hand in Laxus'. They'd held hands before, of course, but it had always been for something like fording a river or rescuing one another when one of them had carelessly taken a tumble… but never had Laxus taken his hand for a nonutilitarian reason, yet he was doing it right then as though it was perfectly natural. It made Freed's heart beat faster and when Laxus' fingers gently rubbed the side of Freed's hand the rune mage feared he might faint.

And Freed wasn't the only one surprised. Rufus couldn't hide his shock as his eyes shot from Laxus to Freed and back. Rufus' mind was reeling. Laxus was gay! He was sure he'd never heard a _hint_ of this even from those who shared the more outlandish scoop on the great mages of the age.

"I'm sorry," Rufus said sincerely. "I didn't know. I wouldn't dream of-"

"Memorize this, Rufus," threatened Laxus. "No one makes a move on Freed without my permission."

"Perhaps, it best I return to Sabretooth now. I need to…" Rufus' voice trailed off.

"You need to tell them that no one here has seen Frosch," Freed supplied, helping the mage to remember his original reason for visiting his sister guild. "Rufus was here looking for Frosch. He's disappeared," Freed explained to Laxus.

"Well, then you best be looking for him elsewhere," Laxus said to Rufus, crossing his arms. "And if he doesn't turn up today, let Rogue know that Freed and I would be happy to help with the search tomorrow."

Rufus nodded and backed out of the guild hall as Laxus spied Makarov headed their way.

Laxus cursed. _God damn it! The old man's coming to chew me out! Knowing my luck he probably saw the whole thing. We've gotta split or Freed will insist we be respectful and stay and have a drink with him. Shit! I'll never get Freed alone. What'll I do?_

Desperate to leave, Laxus did the only thing he could think of which was to grab Freed's bag and Freed's hand and yank the rune mage out the door. "Come on. Let's get out of here!"

As the two men ran into the street, Freed reminisced about that first time Laxus had saved him. It wasn't Laxus' power and strength that had made Freed fall for him that day. It had been how as soon as the adversaries were conquered he had become incredibly gentle. Freed recalled how Laxus had helped him up and assisted him in brushing off his clothes. He had been so gentlemanly and so manly… and everything Freed could ever imagine wanting.

"Laxus, did you really mean what you said back there?" Freed asked as he jogged behind his friend.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I help look for Frosch?" Laxus asked offhandedly.

"No, about you having to approve anybody I go out with?"

Laxus stopped in the street so suddenly that Freed who was a couple paces behind him ran into his back. Laxus shrugged. "Yeah, of course," Laxus said as though this should have been obvious. "That's always been true for you and Evergreen."

"But not Bickslow?"

"No. Bickslow's different. He can take care of himself," Laxus said dismissively.

Freed frowned. "So can I."

"On the battlefield," Laxus nodded, "you do a good job."

"You mean you don't think I can take care of myself the rest of the time. Is that what you mean?"

"I think that having someone to look out for you is a good thing," Laxus said praying that he and Freed weren't about to have a big fight that would ruin everything he had planned.

"I resent that statement. I can handle myself quite well, Laxus."

Laxus inhaled deeply. "Freed, did you even know that Rufus was flirting with you?"

Freed grimaced slightly. "Well… I was a little preoccupied…"

"And that he had asked you out on a _date_?"

"He wanted to take a look at the new books I got-"

"That is _not_ what he wanted to take a look at, I assure you," chuckled Laxus. "Only you and Levy would actually think someone would be interested in a bunch of decaying books-"

"Lucy will want to see them, too!"

"OK, that brings the grand total to three people… and exactly how many books did you buy? This thing weighs a ton. It feels like a gravity spell's been cast on it," he said indicating the satchel which he was carrying.

"I didn't buy them. I was paid with them by the grandfather of the woman I protected," Freed said his chin held high.

Laxus tipped his head back and let out a hearty laugh.

"Laxus! What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Laxus said grinning. "How delighted was the guy that he didn't have to actually pay you?"

"A little…" Freed admitted. "But there are some extremely rare texts in there and they will be hugely beneficial to-"

"People who learn magic from books."

Freed was shocked by his friend's attitude. "Does this have to do with Rufus?" Freed asked.

Laxus grunted as he schlepped the satchel along. "Freed, you let him _massage_ you! There in front of everyone…"

"I didn't realize," Freed admitted weakly.

"That anyone might find you attractive?" Laxus said not expecting an answer. "And now half the guild is gonna know about you and me."

"Oh, no one heard," Freed said.

"Gajeel did."

"How do you know?"

"Cause he's a dragon slayer and he was laughing his ass off."

Freed decided not to argue this point, because Laxus was probably right… at least about Gajeel. Freed hung his head. He loved Laxus, yet here it was the day he had the greatest chance of having his dream come true, and he had very nearly screwed it up.

"Freed, don't worry about it. I'm being an asshole, and you can share your books with Rufus if you want. I just don't like the thought of someone else… you're too good for him… and…" He sighed. "I want you for myself."

Freed leapt for joy his eyes radiating that special light they always did when he thought of his Laxus.

The lightning mage rolled his eyes. "You are _never_ doing that again," Laxus teased. "It's so gay."

"Oh, really?" Freed whispered flirtatiously. "Well, so are you."

Laxus arched an eyebrow, "Just for that crack I'm not gonna worry myself with being gentle."

Freed blushed. "Who said we're doing anything tonight?"

" _I_ did," Laxus growled as he wrapped his arm around Freed's midsection. "I'm sure as hell getting your rocks off tonight. I owe you, remember?"

"It doesn't work like that," Freed said avoiding Laxus' gaze.

"Like hell it doesn't. You made me feel great and then you ran off before I could do anything for you. It made me feel like a real dick."

"I'm sorry," Freed said. "I just didn't want you to-"

"To make you happy, because I've slept with a few women and that _must_ mean I can't like you 'cause you're a man?" Laxus' words made Freed frown. "That's what you're thinking isn't it?"

"When you say it like that it sounds very stupid," Freed said.

"That's 'cause it _is_ stupid," Laxus stated flatly.

 _Laxus makes it sound so simple, and_ loving _him_ is _easy, so very,_ very _easy,_ Freed thought with a little smile. _But can Laxus really handle being in a relationship? Let alone one with me? Am I really what he wants? He's never been with a man before…_

"And it's more than a _few_ women," Freed grumbled.

"It's not that many," Laxus argued.

"How many then?" Freed asked. "If it's not very many then you must know how many and their names."

Laxus grimaced. "You expect me to remember their names? Freed, they're one night stands, not guild members!" Freed studied Laxus. Was he really that shallow? "Don't look at me like that. You're different, Freed."

"Because I'm a man?" Freed asked pondering the meaning behind his friend's comment.

"Because you're you."

Freed frowned. Laxus was starting to worry. He and Freed _never_ fought and here they were bickering in the street like an old married couple. This did not bode well for his plan for the evening. He was going to have to take drastic measures. Laxus set the satchel down on the sidewalk and said, "Freed, I'm not good at explaining stuff. You know that… and the whole time you were away I kept trying to come up with a way to say what I want you to understand. But all I could come up with is this," Laxus leaned in bringing himself close to Freed and gently kissing his lips as he tried to channel all the feelings he had for him into that one embrace.

The hug and kiss made Freed feel warm and content all over his body, but it also made him want. It made him crave more of Laxus' touch. It made him want Laxus to lay him down and take him right there in the middle of the road. He didn't care. _Just when I think that perhaps this is a bad idea he goes and does something like this,_ Freed thought as his tongue tangled with Laxus'. _Why did I even consider disagreeing with him? I will do anything he wants. He's so perfect… look at him so nervous, so sweet. Sure, he was an asshole to Rufus, but who cares about Rufus? Rufus was an idiot to think I was interested in him. Everyone knows I only have eyes for Laxus. And who wouldn't? I mean, look at those arms?_

Laxus knew he needed to say something. As much as he would have loved to just scoop Freed up and carry him off and have his way with him, he felt like he needed to explain to him what he wanted from him. Freed had missed all the cues from Rufus and probably countless other people over the years so Laxus figured it would be best to spell it out for him even though he desperately did not want to be rejected.

 _Ok, here goes,_ the Thunder God thought. _Please don't get mad at me, please don't get mad at me… Please, Mavis, don't let him be mad at me. I'm really trying here…_

Laxus let their lips part and he looked right into Freed's eyes and said, "I want you to come and spend the night with me. And you're not going to think about it, and you're sure as hell not going to argue about it."

Freed blushed. "You want me to spend the night?"

Laxus nodded as he studied the expression on Freed's face wondering what the Brainiac was thinking.

"But-"

"No thinking!" snapped Laxus.

"But don't you think-"

"No thinking, that's an order, Freed!" Laxus felt desperate. What if he couldn't convince him? "Come on, Freed. Let me show you a good time." He brought his lips to Freed's ear and whispered, "We both know you want to."

 _Oh, Mavis truer words have never been spoken_ , thought Freed. _But…_

"You're thinking again," Laxus said frowning. "Come on. Don't make me rape you," the dragon slayer said with a grin as he picked the satchel back up, leaving one arm wrapped around Freed's waist. "I'd feel really bad about that."

Freed was appalled. "You would never do that to anyone, let alone me!"

"No, I wouldn't," Laxus said grumpily. "Which is why you need to make up your mind, 'cause we're here," he said pointing to his right. They had reached Laxus' door. Freed stood there debating for a moment.

"Come on, Freed, give me a chance," Laxus pleaded in his ear. "I want this. I really do."

"Are you sure?" Freed asked gazing up at the taller man's amber eyes.

Laxus nodded. "And I really want to put this bag down."

"Well, I guess I will be a humanitarian and come inside then."

"Just so I can put down your damn books, right? No other reason? Like you want to jump my bones or nothing?" Laxus teased as he unlocked the apartment door.

"No," Freed said blushing. "Because I can't help myself."


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10:

A thrill went through Freed's body as he entered Laxus' apartment. He'd been there plenty of times before but this time crossing the threshold felt different, because he wasn't there to make him dinner, to grab some items they needed before a mission, or to bring Laxus' his laundry from the cleaners. He was there by special invitation and that thought alone made Freed aroused. Every other time he had been at Laxus' home he had been there as a friend, but this time Laxus wanted him there as more than a friend. _I hope I don't disappoint him_ , Freed thought. _He knows I've never done anything like this before…_

The lightning mage held the door open for Freed and watched him as he stepped into the room. _He's beautiful,_ Laxus thought to himself. _And tonight I'm going make every part of that gorgeous body mine._ Laxus liked the idea of claiming the man who had on more than one occasion stated his devotion to the Thunder God. _Tonight I'm making that devotion official. I've just got to convince him it's what I want, too, and, then, oh, Freed, I will make your dreams come true, I promise._

Laxus set Freed's bag of books on the floor underneath the living room window with a loud thud and checked to make sure the curtains and drapes were closed all the way as Freed removed his arms from the straps of his backpack.

"I guess I overdid it a little," Freed mumbled as he observed how much straighter Laxus stood without having the encumbrance of the satchel weighing him down. Freed set his backpack down by the satchel and immediately his hands were grabbed by Laxus.

"It's ok. I know a way you can make it up to me," Laxus said as he pushed his friend backward against the wall between the window and the front door, stretching his arms upward so that his hands were trapped above his head.

"Oh! Oh mmy God! Laxus!" Freed squealed from shock as Laxus closed the distance between their bodies.

"You have no idea how hot for you I am," Laxus murmured huskily before kissing Freed's neck. "Or how badly I want to kiss you _everywhere_."

"Laxus!" Freed had never known his friend to be this forward. Usually it was the women falling all over him, not the other way around.

Laxus grinned. "That's right. Practice shouting my name 'cause you're gonna be doing it a lot tonight," he said as his kisses moved southward to the nape of Freed's neck.

"Laxus…" Freed moaned the name, but Laxus could sense not only lust but some trepidation in his voice.

"No thinking," Laxus whispered as he paused to stare into Freed's eyes. "Are you gonna run away if I let you go?"

"No," Freed said shaking his head. "Even if I wanted to… I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Laxus smiled. "Good." He released Freed's hands and thrust his pelvis against Freed's groin so Freed could appreciate just how turned on he was.

Freed blinked. "You're serious?" Freed asked little tremors of excitement running down his spine.

"Absolutely," Laxus said clasping the rune mage in a tight embrace as his lips crashed into Freed's, his tongue sliding past Freed's entering the virgin's mouth. _He's so eager to be inside of me,_ Freed thought as Laxus' tongue teased the inside of his mouth. _This is why I waited. I knew he would be amazing, and I trust him. He can do anything he wants to me and I won't be afraid because I know deep down inside he loves me and always has and always will._

Freed began to relax, giving in to his desire to fulfill all the fantasies that he had forced himself to keep in check since the very first day he met Laxus, the day he had fallen in love. His arms encircled Laxus' muscular body and he let them roam so he could gently squeeze Laxus' buttocks. Laxus smirked, happy to know that his friend was beginning to let himself do what felt right and good to the both of them.

"Yes, Freed, touch me," Laxus murmured. "I want you to."

Laxus stepped backward leading Freed toward the couch without releasing him from his embrace. Narrowly escaping tripping over the coffee table, Laxus eased Freed down onto the couch, gently sliding Freed's legs over so that he could hover over him without straddling him. Laxus was trying his best not to spook his friend who was obviously more than a little enamored with him.

Laxus leaned over Freed and smiled as he started to loosen Freed's cravat. Freed's chest started heaving and his heart started pounding. He kissed the back of Laxus' hand, but said nothing fearing that speaking might break the spell that was making this dream become a reality. Laxus pulled the scarf from his neck and set it on the floor by the couch as he kissed Freed's lips.

"Oh, Laxus, I've wanted this for sooo long," Freed said softly, his lips so close to Laxus' that the Thunder God could feel the heat of his breath.

"I know," Laxus whispered back grimacing. "Sorry I'm an idiot."

The Thunder God's sincerity was obvious in his eyes and Freed hurried to make his friend feel better. "No, this is perfect," Freed said as he reached up to stroke the side of his love's face. His touch made the frown on Laxus' face disappear, replacing it with a mesmerized stare. " _You're_ perfect," Freed said breathlessly as he closed his eyes so he could more deeply inhale the scent of his lover.

' _Perfect'?_ Laxus paused. _He doesn't actually believe that, does he? Because I can't be perfect. I can_ try _to be perfect for his sake. And I can try my best to make this work, and I can be a near perfect Dragon Slayer, but I'm far from perfect. Didn't I just run out of the guild hall without waiting to talk to the Old Man? Didn't I just joke about raping him a few minutes ago? Didn't I seriously consider stealing wine from the guild hall? Crap. What if we do this and he realizes that all this time he's thought I'm somebody I'm not?_

Freed opened his eyes and studied his friend. "Laxus, I thought we weren't thinking," he said softly. "Or does that rule not apply to you?"

"Sorry," grunted Laxus as he raised himself back up to a sitting position.

Freed started to unbutton his coat. Laxus watched as the white shirt beneath his scarlet coat became visible. Then Freed reached down and undid his belt and placed it and his scabbard on the floor by the couch. Laxus' heart began to race as Freed began to undress, but despite the lustful desires raging within him the thought of making love to Freed brought a serenity to the dragon slayer that he rarely felt.

Laxus leaned over and began to unbutton Freed's shirt taking his time with each one and then kissing the newly revealed flesh as though it were a treasure. He wanted to experience every part of the man who was stealing away his heart. "God, I want you," Laxus whispered as he reached the final button and pulled the shirt tails from Freed's pants. Laxus leaned over placing his tongue at Freed's waist line and started to slowly lick and kiss upward toward Freed's face. When he reached Freed's chest he detoured from the midline of Freed's sternum to nibble on each of his pink buds. Eager to see his lover's reaction to his teasing he raised his head and was surprised to see Freed was teary-eyed.

"What's wrong?" he said, concerned for his friend.

Freed turned his head away in embarrassment and wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy."

"You're crying cause you're _happy_?" Laxus asked and Freed nodded. "Cause we're gonna have sex." Freed nodded again.

"And because I love you," Freed said with a simper.

 _He said it_ , Laxus thought, taking it in. _The big 'l' word… not that I didn't know it already but…_ wow. "I know you do," Laxus said looking down at him.

"Is that ok?" Freed asked. He wanted to know if he had his friend's permission to admit his affection. He had to know that he didn't have to hide his feelings or be ashamed of them anymore.

Laxus took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "Yeah." It was scary knowing that a person loved him, especially one who was as pure of heart as Freed, but he couldn't say it wasn't ok. He knew Freed couldn't help himself and he was suspicious he was in love with Freed, too. He wasn't sure because everything was so new and confusing, but when he thought about the day and how much he had wanted to make it nice for Freed he had to admit that he was feeling some mighty powerful things for his best friend, things he wasn't sure he was prepared for.

"You want some wine?" Laxus asked wanting to lighten the mood.

Freed smiled. "That'd be really nice."

Laxus locked eyes with his friend. "And you're not gonna do something crazy like bolt for the door as soon as I'm in the kitchen, right?"

"No, I promise I'll stay right here," Freed said with a smile. "I'm here for as long as that's what you want."

Laxus still didn't get up. "That's what I want," Laxus said winking at his friend who never went anywhere without his sidearm. "But maybe I should take your sword, just to be on the safe side."

"I'm not going anywhere, I swear."

"Ok, then," Laxus said standing up and walking into the kitchen. There, he hesitated for a moment. He had purchased the wine to loosen Freed up, but right now he felt like _he_ was the one who needed it.

Was it Freed who started the undressing or was it him? Holy shit! He thought he was going to be the one doing everything, but Freed was actually helping. _Oh, my God, I'm going to have sex with Freed… and I really want to. Like I_ really, really _want him. Shit, have I always felt this way? And what was up with me trying to punch Rufus? He_ is _an asshole… but I think I might have done the same thing even if it had been someone else coming onto Freed. Holy crap. I think I'm falling for Freed. I always thought he was good looking, but…_

Laxus turned around to lean out the door and sneak a candid peak at the rune mage lounging on the couch, but instead he found himself almost colliding with him, instead.

"Laxus, you alright?" Freed was standing in the doorway of the kitchen and he had completely removed his coat and shirt. Seeing his bare chest made Laxus' manhood twitch. _Ugh, I've got it bad. It's not like I've never seen him without a shirt on before, but, holy shit, he is looking fine. Oh, Mavis, I'm ready to jump him,_ Laxus thought turning away from Freed to grab the wine. _I need to slow down a little. I don't want to rush this. It's gonna be Freed's first time._

"Yeah, I'm fine," Laxus said as he pulled the wine out of the bucket. "But this is gonna be a little warm. The ice melted while I was at the train station."

"It doesn't matter," Freed said happily as he opened a cupboard and stretched his arms to get the wine glasses from the top shelf. Laxus gazed at his back as he reached. _Gorgeous…_ he thought to himself as Freed grabbed two wine goblets and turned toward the sink to rinse them.

"They're clean," pointed out Laxus annoyed that yet another house guest was insisting on washing his dishes after he'd already washed them.

"I beg to differ. There was a cobweb between them, Laxus," Freed giggled. "I doubt you've used them since your birthday. But if you think spider silk will enhance your beverage, by all means here you go." He said offering one of the glasses to his companion.

Laxus frowned at the dried up bug curled up in the bottom of the glass.

"I thought so," Freed said cheerily. "I'll just give them a scrub." He paused. "So, what do we have to enjoy this evening?" He asked indicating the wine with a slight tip of his head.

 _What the hell is up with Freed? He's supposed to be all nervous! I'm supposed to be forcing him into this!_ Laxus thought.

"I can't pronounce it," Laxus said shrugging and flashing the bottle at the emerald-haired mage.

Freed's jaw dropped open. "You remembered?!"

"What?" Laxus asked as he fought with the top of the bottle and grumbled that whiskey was a hell of a lot easier to open.

"It's that wine I liked so much at the ball!"

"Oh," Laxus said glancing back down at the bottle of wine. "Uh…"

"Do you have any chocolate?" Freed asked as he wiped his hands on a hand towel he had grabbed from a cupboard. "It would go so well with some of those little truffles…" Freed lifted the lid of the teddy bear cookie jar that always sat on the counter to protect Laxus' sweets from being overrun by armies of ants.

"Laxus!" Freed shouted.

"What? What's wrong?" Laxus said running up behind Freed, abandoning his attempt to open the wine.

In the rune mage's hand was a lightning bolt shaped sugar cookie. He held it in both hands like a child shows off a work of their art. "Who's been baking for you?" Freed's eyes flashed with jealousy. No one else was allowed to cook for Laxus without his permission. He thought the Thunder God knew that.

"Oh," Laxus said relieved it wasn't anything serious. "The neighbor kid and his mom."

 _A mom with a child… and Laxus doesn't mention a father. Could she be buttering him up wanting to find a father for her child?_ Freed's mind spun out of control with the implications of the specially made confection.

"Has she invited you over for dinner?" Freed said sounding upset.

"Are you jealous? Because of a _cookie_?" Laxus asked. To Laxus, this seemed like a new level of crazy even for Freed, but Laxus knew that his little 'discussion' with Rufus was almost enough to cause a major interguild feud, so he wasn't really a good one to judge at this point.

"Maybe," Freed said trying and failing to maintain his dignity.

Laxus put his hand on Freed's back and rubbed it a little. "I was sick so they did the neighborly thing of bringing me over a couple meals and some cookies… and the kid drew me a picture. It's up in the bedroom," Laxus said pointing in the direction of his room.

Freed said nothing as he digested this bit of news. "About this illness," he said, turning to study his love. "You seem fine right now. What did you have?"

Laxus averted his eyes. "I was kind of under the weather… it wasn't a big deal."

Freed knew this was a lie. "Lightning mages don't get under the weather… they are the weather."

"Well, I didn't feel much like eating and I was…"

"Yes?" Freed encouraged him to speak.

Laxus grumbled, "I was moping, ok? Is that what you want me to say? I missed you and I was worried I'd lost my chance with you." He thrust the bottle of wine into Freed's torso. "Here, I can't open this damn thing."

"That's because it's not a screw lid," Freed said with a little cluck of the tongue as he removed another layer of wrapping to reveal the cork. Freed stuck the corkscrew in and, like an expert, removed the cork pouring the wine into each glass and walking back into the living room followed by Laxus with the bottle and his glass.

They sat down on the couch beside one another sipping their wine and saying nothing.

"This is actually pretty good, but I didn't remember it," Laxus confessed. "The woman at the wine store suggested it."

Freed set down his glass and turned his head to look at Laxus. "You went to the wine store?"

"Yes."

"For me?"

Laxus took a sip of wine before answering. "Yes."

"How scary was that?"

"Not too bad, once I admitted I had no idea what I was doing and that my date was a man."

Freed coughed a little. "You told the woman at the wine store-"

Laxus nodded. "I thought you might be pissed if I ignored the fact she kept referring to my date as 'she', 'she' this, and 'she' that-"

"You _worried_ about that?"

Laxus turned to stare into his friend's eyes. "There's more than one way I can hurt you," he said seriously.

"Oh, Laxus," Freed's eyes were tearing up again.

Laxus shook his head. "Oh, my god, Freed! You're as bad as Juvia, I swear," he said taking his sleeve and wiping Freed's eyes and then keeping his hands on either side of his face and kissing him.

"So, you bought a new shirt and a bottle of wine and vacuumed," Freed marveled.

Laxus glanced around the room. "You can tell I vacuumed?"

Freed nodded.

 _Am I such a bad housekeeper it's obvious when I tidy up?,_ grumbled Laxus to himself.

"One would think you were trying to seduce me," Freed whispered as he swirled his wine, the maroon liquid forming a little whirlpool in the glass.

"I was, but you're not gonna make me work that hard," Laxus answered flirtatiously.

Freed's squealed in mock offence and swatted his friend with his free hand.

Laxus grinned. "I'm just saying. You're the one who is already half naked. You slut."

"'Slut!' You can't be serious! You would have me believe that you are attracted to _both_ men and women," Freed said looking Laxus squarely in the face.

"I am," Laxus said firmly. "And just because I'm attracted to both doesn't mean I'll sleep with just anyone."

"Says the man who can't tell me how many people he's slept with," Freed said with amusement as he took a sip of his wine.

Laxus set his wine glass down and leaned over Freed growling, "I don't want to hear anything else about the people I've been with. They don't matter right now. The only thing that matters right now is you and me." Freed's chest started heaving. His heart felt like it was going to pound so hard it would just pop out of his chest. "You ok with that, Brainiac?" Laxus said as he began to unbutton his own shirt.

 _Oh, he's so hot when he's tries to be all tough like this_ , Freed thought, transfixed by Laxus. _It's like my_ _fantasies are all coming true…_ _I feel like if I touch him, I'm gonna wake up, but, ummmm… I want to run my hands all over him… and this time I don't even have to have a washcloth in my hand!_

 _Oh, Sweet Mavis, look at him,_ thought Laxus to himself. _He's been waiting for me this whole time and I've been denying that I was attracted to him… when there was definitely one thing about him I've_ always _found sexy…_

"Freed? Can I do something?"" Laxus asked, his voice raspy from want.

"Yeah," Freed said with only a hint of nervousness as he set his wine glass on the coffee table.

Laxus reached around Freed's head and grasped the ribbon that secured his friend's hair into a ponytail. The dragon slayer slid the ribbon off releasing Freed's long hair so that it cascaded down onto his bare chest.

"You look so sexy with your hair down," Laxus said.

Freed laughed. "You never noticed before."

"Yes, I did. I've always liked it," Laxus whispered. "Remember that time we were on that mission where we had to collect all those scattered rune stones?"

"The one where you almost drown?" Freed asked quickly.

"You don't have to remember that part of it," Laxus said with a frown.

"It's hard to forget," Freed said sweetly. "It isn't often that the rest of us get to play the hero for _you_."

Laxus thought about this and remembered Freed sprouting his wings and struggling to get him to where Bickslow and Ever could help him to carry the Thunder God to safety.

"Well, after… all of that," Laxus said appearing embarrassed by the memory of his carelessness. "When we were celebrating, you let your hair down and I thought you looked incredibly sexy."

"I don't believe it," Freed said laughing.

"I did. I was so envious of your hair."

"The truth comes out. You only want me for my hair."

Laxus shrugged. "Not only your hair. Your beauty mark…" He gave the mark a quick peck with his lips. "I like that, too… and your hands." The lightning mage took Freed's hand in his and gazed at the Fairy Tail mark there.

Shyly, Freed asked, "Did it really bother you? Rufus kissing me there?"

"Don't mention him!" Laxus moaned rolling his eyes. "Are you _trying_ to kill the mood by bringing up that jack ass?"

Freed leaned close and whispered so softly as to be barely audible, "Tell me what it felt like, Laxus."

Laxus swallowed. He wasn't sure he wanted to admit how angry it had made him. "It felt awful. You're supposed to be with me… all the time. Everyone knows that."

" _You_ didn't know that," Freed said looking at Laxus' face adoringly.

"No, I did. I've always wanted you with me… I just didn't realize what that meant until now. I guess that was pretty dumb…"

"You don't have to say anything," Freed said softly as he leaned into his friend enticingly. "You can just show me."

Laxus groaned. He couldn't wait any longer. He lunged toward his lover, his hands groping all over Freed, their lips smothering one another's, and Laxus' engorged organ bashing into Freed's. The emerald-haired man emitted a moan that sent shock waves to Laxus' groin and just when Laxus thought there was no possible way that Freed could be any sexier the rune mage whispered, "Laxus, please take me."

In a haphazard manner, the two rushed to remove Freed's pants and socks which Freed reached for and started to fold into a neat pile to place by the couch.

"Oh, for Mav's sake, man!" Laxus grabbed the clothes from Freed and threw them so that they scattered, a sock by the front door, another on the coffee table and his pants wadded up somewhere else.

Freed's jaw dropped a little. "Laxus there's no reason to be unnecessarily messy- Oh!" he squawked as Laxus yanked his underwear down and gave his ass a squeeze.

"Forget about your clothes and help me get mine off," Laxus ordered as he ran his tongue up Freed's neck. He felt as though his body was kindling and Freed's touch and words were the fire.

Freed hopped off the couch and reached for Laxus' belt above a very noticeable bulge in his pants. Wildly, Freed worked to undo the buckle and then pulled Laxus' pants and boxers down in one motion as he himself knelt bringing his face right to the level of Laxus' sex and as soon as it sprung from his pants Freed's mouth engulfed it sending Laxus tumbling backwards, his pants still around his ankles.

"Holy shit, Freed!" Laxus shouted as Freed worked him over using his hands and lips and tongue to stimulate him. Laxus groaned. Freed was doing _incredible_ things to him down there. Things he had never felt. "Oh, God, I am going to fuck you so hard," Laxus moaned as Freed's eased Laxus' cock in and out of his mouth as he gazed up at the man he had always desired as a lover.

"Oh, Freed, oh my God, Freed, it feels so good," wailed Laxus overwhelmed by the sensations of wet warmth and watching Freed giving him pleasure.

Laxus' words pleased his lover, but Freed wouldn't pause even for a congratulatory moment. He was determined to make Laxus feel like he had never felt before. He wanted to channel all the years of longing and desire he had for the Thunder God into this moment.

Laxus shoved the coffee table over to give them more room and then let himself slide the rest of the way off the couch while Freed continued to plunge his cock in and out of his mouth. Laying flat on his back with Freed squatted over his groin, Laxus reached down and pulled Freed's arm to indicate he wanted him. Freed was unsure what Laxus wanted but he refused to stop his oral worship of Laxus' groin. He had waited too damn long to release him without a fight, so he pivoted keeping Laxus' erect penis in his mouth the whole time. Laxus smirked. _Fine, two can play at that game,_ Laxus thought as he brought Freed's lower half to his face and took Freed's cock into his mouth.

Freed let out a murmur of surprise. He had never expected this. He had figured Laxus was the man in the relationship and that meant he would never perform fellatio on him, but the Thunder God was pleasuring him with every bit as much zeal as Freed was for his Laxus.

Laxus' mind was a blur. All he knew was that he wanted to make Freed feel as great as he was making him feel. It didn't cross his mind that he had never done this before. He just dove in and slid his mouth up and down Freed's engorgement and hearing Freed's sounds of enjoyment made Laxus even bolder. He added in his hands, too, using them to cradle Freed's balls as his tongue danced all over the rune mage's cock.

 _Oh, my god, I can't… believe…_ Freed's mind was getting foggy. _All the rules, all the things he knew about his life were fading away… all he could think about was Laxus and how he wanted this moment of mutual pleasure to never end. It feels so good… I'm gonna cum… No, I have to make him cum first. I've got to hold it in till he starts to lose control, too,_ Freed told himself, but it was hard for Freed. His fantasies were coming true. He and Laxus were going to make love and Laxus had gotten jealous of seeing him with someone else and…

"Freed," whined Laxus in between gentle sucklings of Freed's manhood.

Freed released Laxus' organ gently. "Laxus, please take me. Do anything you want to me. I'm yours."

Never had words had such an impact on Laxus' body. Freed felt Laxus twitch in his mouth.

Laxus pulled away from Freed and stood up, his eyes never leaving his friend's. "I think it's time to go somewhere more comfortable," he said as he scooped up Freed as though the man weighed nothing.

The whites of Freed's eyes grew enormous and he squawked out Laxus' name as Laxus carried him to his bedroom. _This is happening… I can't believe this is happening,_ Freed thought as Laxus tossed him on the bed and then climbed in hovering over his friend an almost tranquil smile on his lips.

 _Freed is in my bed and he's perfect… well other than the geekiness… or maybe I find that attractive… I don't know, oh, just look at him. He's so nervous. Adorable!_

"You scared?" Laxus asked and Freed nodded. "Don't be," he said grabbing the other's man's erect organ in his hand as he kissed him. Freed's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his eyelids shut as he fully submitted to his lover.

Freed moaned Laxus' name and Laxus increased the pace of his stroking making Freed emit little noises he'd never heard him make before. Laxus grunted, satisfied with the degree to which his friend was letting go. He whispered in his ear all the things he wanted to do to him. How he wanted his tongue to explore every inch of his body and how he wanted to cover him in his cum and how he wanted to bury himself in him all the way to the hilt. Freed panted and began to thrash. Rarely had he let his mind wander to a place where the Laxus of his daydream would do such things and Dream Laxus had never whispered such intentions to Freed. This was too much. His level of arousal had never been so great and he felt liquid begin to leak from his tip. Laxus felt it too and leaned down and licked the precum up hungrily.

"Oh, God, Laxus," Freed whimpered. "I want you inside of me."

Laxus stopped for a split second and looked at his friend giving him the blink of an eye in which to recant his statement and tell him things were moving too fast, but he didn't. Instead, Freed thrust his groin toward Laxus as though demonstrating what exactly he was so badly longing for.

"Please, don't make me beg, Laxus," whined Freed.

"I wouldn't do that," Laxus whispered huskily in his ear as he placed himself between Freed's legs. Laxus gently grabbed the rune mage's legs placing Freed's ankles on his shoulders as he quaked with the tremendous need to bring Freed relief from the torture he had been enduring for so many years. He leaned forward and gave Freed a kiss on his lips before pulling away and lining himself up.

"What about lube?" Freed said in a tiny voice.

"Huh?" Laxus replied, startled.

"Aren't you going to…?" Freed appeared frightened. "You're awful big." Freed said glancing at Laxus' massive throbbing organ.

"Ah… I don't have any," Laxus said. He didn't usually have to use any, but as the reality of exactly what they were going to do sunk in he realized Freed probably knew more about this stuff than he did and if he hinted it was necessary than it surely was. Laxus lowered his head in shame. _I got a bottle of wine and a new shirt and cleaned, but I couldn't think about lube? Would that have been so hard?_

"It's ok we don't have to…" Laxus said trying to mask his disappointment. He wanted to have sex with Freed more than anything, and he hated seeing the look of frustrated dissatisfaction on Freed's face.

"We could try," Freed said softly.

"No, I don't wanna hurt you," Laxus said firmly as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"But, I want you." Freed's arms wrapped around Laxus and he pulled the larger man toward him so he could rest his head on his shoulder.

"Look," Laxus said angrily. "I want your first time to be nice, not painful."

Freed sighed. When Laxus decided something it was virtually impossible to talk him out of it.

"Just kiss me again, ok?" Freed said and Laxus obliged, their lips and upper bodies pressing into one another making a wave of hot desire flow forth from both of them. Laxus kissed his friend more feverishly as his mind filled itself with visuals of Freed naked and submissive. _Oh, how I want to take charge of him and just fuck him over and over again. How I want to drive myself into him-_

Laxus' thoughts were abruptly cut short by Freed pulling away.

"Oh, oh!" Freed shouted.

 _Oh, crap, what did I do wrong? I couldn't have hurt him just with kissing could I? He's so delicate for a man…_

But Freed didn't look hurt. He looked elated. He hopped down off the bed and practically skipped into the other room.

Laxus stayed on the bed staring after him. _My lover is a lunatic_ , he mumbled to himself before shouting, "Freed, what the hell are you doing?"

Freed didn't answer, but Laxus could hear the scuffling of his feet and a great deal of rustling coming from the living room. Laxus sat there wondering what could be so god damned important as to require interrupting their passionate make out session.

Then, Freed reappeared. "Laxus, sweetheart," he said from the doorway. "Don't pout. Look what I have." Freed held between two fingers a tiny tube of something.

"What's that?" Laxus asked confused.

Freed placed the tube between his teeth and climbed onto the bed on all fours, and then spit the tube out by Laxus' hand. "Lube from the first aid kit."

"Oh, thank you, Mavis for giving me the best team leader ever," Laxus purred as he opened the tube and slathered his erect cock in the slick, shiny goo as Freed laid on his back ready to receive him. Laxus climbed on top of Freed and Freed spread his legs in welcome.

Laxus rubbed his tip over the entrance to Freed's cavern. "Promise me if-"

"I'll tell you if anything is too much," Freed vowed. "I promise."

Laxus nodded and lubed a finger and slid it in. Freed gasped and then moaned happily as the finger massaged his insides.

"That… feels… so gooood," Freed whined. "Don't stop."

Laxus smirked. Seeing Freed's freak side starting to come out excited him.

"Tell me what you want," Laxus commanded.

Freed obliged by bucking his hips toward the finger. "Deeper," he said. "Much deeper."

Laxus slid a second finger in and Freed bit his lip. "More, oh please, Laxus, _more_. Hurry up and get in me!"

Laxus grinned. "Impatient aren't we?"

"Unnnnnuh," Freed moaned. "I've waited fifteen years for this. I wouldn't call… that… im… patient."

"I guess not, but we gotta make sure you're ready," Laxus said.

"I don't care. Get inside of me now!" his tone was emphatic from desperation. He needed release and soon.

Laxus pulled his fingers out and then slid just his tip in.

Freed began to murmur, the word 'yes,' over and over again as Laxus slowly penetrated him.

"Deeper," Freed commanded and Laxus pushed more in and then more, more than he had ever thought could possibly fit. Freed was panting from the pleasurable impalement as Laxus reversed the motion sliding himself most of the way out before slowly reentering Freed's inner depths.

Freed groaned and Laxus felt the ever growing urge to hump overtake him and he started moving in and out of his lover, slowly at first and then faster, until he was slamming himself into Freed.

Freed jerked his head back as his upper body was pulled closer to his lover. _Laxus is making love to me,_ he thought. _I can't believe it._

Laxus couldn't tear his eyes away from Freed. He was so beautiful, so incredible. He leaned over and brushed the bangs out of the way and stared into both of Freed's eyes. "I'm going to make you cum," Laxus whispered to him. "Are you ready?"

Freed nodded his head and Laxus kissed his neck as he gently wiggled himself inside Freed causing him to writhe beneath his partner.

Laxus pulled himself back up to the angle at which he could best slam himself fully into Freed. Laxus stared down at Freed thinking how he was going to fill him up with his cum and how Freed was going to spray all over them both. Freed's imagined climax only stoked Laxus' desire as he started to slide himself in and out. "Fast…er, Lax…us," panted Freed and Laxus gladly obeyed his wishes, pounding himself into his friend more and more rapidly until his hips were slamming into Freed with such a fever that Laxus couldn't believe that Freed was OK with it, but Freed just moaned and took Laxus' hand in his and brought it to his lips so he could suck on his lover's fingertips as Laxus drove him to the edge. Freed's moaning finally reached the point where it formed itself into one long groan and he could no longer manage to kiss his lover's fingers. _He's close_ , Laxus thought to himself. _Oh, God, let me please him as much as he does me._ Suddenly, the moaning stopped as Freed's breath caught in his throat and for a moment it was as though every part of him ceased to function as though for the briefest of moments he had died and then just as suddenly he cried out his lover's name.

"LAXUS!" Freed's shout rung out as the rune mage's seed spurted him and his partner who was still plunging in and out of him madly. Laxus groaned and slid his hands down Freed's sides to his hips, and knowing his mate had been satisfied he allowed himself one final, mighty thrust before letting go of the shaky control he had of the orgasm building within him. Laxus felt himself emptying his seed deep within his friend who was panting and looked as though his world was spinning. Laxus smiled a happy, post-orgasmic grin and pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to Freed.

It took all the energy he had, but he turned his head toward Freed and sliding his hair behind his ear kissed his cheek. Freed turned his head toward Laxus and smiled. Freed's brain was still too cloudy from climaxing to be ability to speak but his smile said it all.

 _I think it's official. I'm in love with him_ , Laxus thought, smiling back, at Freed as he took his hand in his and interlaced their fingers. _From this moment forth,_ _I will do whatever it takes to make him happy._


	11. Chapter 11

**Risenfromash:** This is the conclusion of my Fraxus story, but I will be adding a fluffy epilogue so that you can have one final fangirl squeal on me. I'm also considering doing a sequel, but my Soul Eater characters and readers are going to kill me if I don't get back to work on _When Things Heat Up_ , my DWMA versus Avian Flu epic. But, I love all of my characters and both fandoms so much that I couldn't help but split my attention between them for a while. Plus, after more than a year of writing first person Soul it was a nice break to use some bigger words. Maka's efforts to broaden Soul's vocabulary have been stymied by the war against Avian Flu. Thank you for your support of this story and one of my OTP's, Freed and Laxus! Fraxus forever!

Part 11:

Sometime during the night, Laxus woke up and was immediately aware that he was wildly happy about _something_ , but he couldn't remember what. _What happened last night?_ , he questioned, his mind dull from not being entirely alert. _Did I just have a really good dream or something?_ , he thought as he rolled over right onto some of Freed's silken strands.

Feeling the smooth locks it all came flooding back to him… the wait at the train station, the wine, Rufus, the cookies in the teddy bear cookie jar, Freed's mouth on his dick like static cling, Freed on all fours with a tiny little tube of lube clasped in his teeth, the shouts of his name as he penetrated Freed, and his lover's pleas for him to go deeper… harder… faster…

Laxus studied Freed's bare back attempting to take in as many details as he could manage in the dark room. _We had sex_ , he thought with a smirk. _Boy did us ever. Shit, I hope he's ok. We were both going a little crazy, I think._ Then the grin faded. _Oh, my god. I had sex with Freed._ A wave of panic went through his body as he thought of all the implications. _I really am gay, or at the very least bisexual. How did this happen? Is gramps going to understand? Are Freed and I going to be able to remain friends? I don't know what I'd do without him. He's everything to me! He's…_

Freed started to move but was impeded by Laxus' body on his hair. Laxus shifted his weight so he could gather the strands into a bundle and lay them closer to Freed's back so he wouldn't inadvertently roll over on them again, but it was too late. Freed had woken up, at least partially. The younger man rolled onto his back his eyes half-lidded as he gazed at Laxus' outline in the dark through the haze of drowsiness. "Am I dreaming or did we just do it?" he asked.

Laxus grinned a little. "Depends on whether or not you liked it."

"I loved it," Freed said with a yawn.

"Then yes we did," Laxus said wrapping an arm around Freed pulling his head to Laxus' shoulder.

Freed smiled. "I can't believe I'm not dreaming. Laxus made love to me…" The rune mages' words trailed off as his eyes closed and he began to drift back to sleep in Laxus' arms.

"Thank you for waiting for me," Laxus said as he kissed the top of Freed's head. Freed made a little murmur of acknowledgement. "Because I think I've fallen in love with you."

Freed's eyes sprung open. Suddenly fully awake he sat up in the bed, his pupils whirling toward Laxus. "Did… you… just?" Freed's voice was shaking. He had to have imagined it, right?

"Don't make me say it again, Freed. That's impolite," Laxus said leaning in with the intention of kissing the rune mage's lips but planting his smooch firmly on the end of Freed's nose instead. Laxus grumbled for a moment before reaiming and landing his lips on his original target.

 _Mavis, something must be wrong. Laxus just said he loves me and I've always known he did, but not like_ this. _Can this be real? Can Laxus really be_ in _love with me? He's never been_ in _love with anyone. Oh, my… he's kissing me again. Oh, Laxus, I just want to lay here in your arms and have you kiss me everywhere… but, what are those hands of his doing? Oh, goodness. Does he want it again?_

Laxus' hands were running down his companion's backside as though from want and Freed could sense that Laxus was trying to spread him open. _Is he usually so… randy?_ , Freed wondered. _I never took him as a particularly-_

Freed's thoughts were interrupted by Laxus' tongue running up and down the edge of his ear in just such a way that he got goosebumps on his arms and then a split second later Laxus' tongue was plunging into his ear canal and wiggling around in a very suggestive way.

"I'm going to take you again," Laxus whispered and before Freed could say anything he had his friend flipped over on his stomach and was climbing on top of him kissing and biting at the back of his friend's neck like some kind of wild animal.

"God, you're so sexy. I can't believe you've got me hard again all ready," Laxus said as he playfully slapped Freed's butt cheek. "You get me so turned on I can't stand it."

 _Me?! Get_ him _turned on?,_ Freed couldn't believe his ears. _I didn't do anything… not right now, anyway. I was sleeping and now he's… oh sweet Mavis every time he kisses that spot I…_ Freed emitted a whine that Laxus couldn't ignore.

 _There is no way Freed could be making that sound and not be good to go,_ Laxus thought as his hand groped for his lover's cock. Finding it, he grinned. _He's just as turned on as I am. I knew it. He pretends he's all worn out but he's just as hot for me right now as I am for him._

"Laxus? _"_ Freed said as his friend began to pump his cock. _It feels so good, oh, I want him so badly, I can't stand it. I want him in me again. I don't want him to ever come out! I want his lips all over me._

Laxus gave Freed's dick a sudden and purposeful jerk making Freed let out a squeal.

"Tell me you want me again," Laxus whispered in his lover's ear.

"Yes… yes, Laxus… I want you… again…" Freed said as he slumped his front half forward, presenting his ass to his lover like a cat in heat. "Please…"

"Then you're gonna have me," Laxus growled as he rubbed his engorged organ all over Freed's ass, and with each movement Laxus could feel Freed growing larger and harder in his hand. Laxus reached over to the bedside table for the lube and rubbed it around Freed's opening, playing with it as he did so.

"You like that don't you?" Laxus asked him and Freed nodded.

"I like being touched by you," he said.

"Where?" Laxus asked huskily.

"Everywhere," Freed panted and Laxus slid his finger into Freed wishing he could watch as it disappeared into his body.

"That's gonna be my dick in a minute," Laxus said fondling Freed's cock. "You ready?"

"Yes, for god sake, quit teasing, ya big meanie," Freed said in the giddy tone of one in love.

Laxus laughed and nibbled at the shell of Freed's ear. "Mean? Me? I don't think challenging me like that when you're in this position is a good idea," he said as he withdrew his hand from Freed's groin and placed both his hands on his lover's hips preparing to enter him once again. Then, with one big thrust Laxus slammed himself all the way into Freed.

Freed's jaw went slack and he made no sound as Laxus backed himself out readying his body to do it again. Over and over he plunged himself deep like this until Freed growled a deep guttural moan and reached down to play with himself as Laxus picked up the pace. Freed's moans began to transform into little squeals of pleasure with Laxus' name thrown in every so often.

 _Damn, it sounds good when he says my name like that. Like I'm a god or something,_ Laxus thought. _But, oh, god, I'm not gonna last much longer._

"Freeed," Laxus panted. "I love you."

Hearing Laxus was enough to send Freed over the edge and his body lurched forward, about to orgasm. Laxus also felt his threshold being met and he pulled out, rolling Freed onto his back so they could shower one another with cum.

 _There, now he really looks like he's mine,_ Laxus thought. Maybe it was the dragon in him, but he really liked the idea of marking Freed as his and having Freed in his bed had awoken in him some primal territorial urges he didn't even know he had.

"Oh, God I love you," Laxus said as he fell back upon the bed to lie on his back right beside his friend.

Freed smiled. "I'm so happy… and maybe if we're lucky we can go on like this even after you settle down with someone."

Laxus' brain felt foggy. He had just orgasmed… but did Freed just say something like they weren't going to be together?

"What?" Laxus asked sure he had misunderstood something due to the post-orgasmic drowsiness trying to overtake him.

"If you find the right woman I'm sure she'll understand. Maybe when we're on missions we can room together."

"Freed, what the fuck are you talking about?" Laxus said.

Freed blushed though in the darkened room Laxus couldn't see it. "I was just saying that hopefully we can still be like this sometimes, even after you're married."

Laxus arched an eyebrow. _Silly me,_ Laxus grumbled to himself. _I thought now that we'd screwed we'd be on the same page about things. But apparently not._

"I'm going to the bathroom," Laxus said rising from the bed. He took a leak, splashed cold water on his face, and then stared at himself in the mirror. _I'm in love with him. I bring him back to my place and we have the most amazing sex I've ever had. He says he loves me… and then he starts talking about me getting married… to somebody else._ He rubbed his face with a washcloth. _Freed's always been an odd one but_ this _takes the cake. Maybe he just doesn't know appropriate talk for afterward._ He glanced out of the bathroom back toward Freed half hoping he would say he was kidding or something, but Bickslow was the joker of the group, not Freed. Freed was always dead serious about things and Freed was telling him something, Laxus just wasn't sure what it meant.

The dragon slayer went into the other room and retrieved their wine glasses and the bottle of wine.

"Want some more?" Laxus asked as he stepped back into the bedroom armed with what was left of their libation.

Freed sat up and nodded and reached to turn on the bedside lacrima. "I'll have some and then I'll take a shower, if that's ok."

Laxus nodded and sat beside him on the bed sipping his wine and trying to think. _What should I say to him? I try to tell him I love him and he doesn't believe me… and I'm not good at this kind of stuff. Maybe if I just give it some time-_

"Laxus, is there a reason you're staring at me?"

"Besides the fact you're gorgeous?" Laxus said not wanting to admit he was plotting how best to get Freed to believe his proclamation of love.

Freed rolled his eyes unwilling to accept the compliment at face value. "Why else?"

"Fine," Laxus grumbled. "I'm wondering what's going on in that head of yours."

"What do you mean?" Freed asked.

"Well, you crush on me for years, then we finally do it and I admit that I'm digging it big time and then you start talking like we can't be together."

"Well," Freed said turning his head away. "Even if you did truly love me-"

"I do," Laxus said it without thinking and as he said it he knew it was true. _If only I could make the Brainiac realize it,_ he thought to himself.

"But, I can't give you everything you want. So, I figure we should have a realistic goal like finding you a wife who wouldn't mind you and I being together sometimes."

Laxus' wine went down the wrong pipe and he coughed for a while before responding. "You think I still want to marry a woman?"

"Yeah, of course you do. You want kids." Freed pointed to the drawing on the wall that the neighbor boy had done. "You can't have kids with me."

"Yes, I could," Laxus barked before thinking it through.

" _No_ , Laxus, you can't and I don't want to take that dream from you."

Laxus sat there. He had felt so happy. He had thought he and Freed were going to be together, a real couple doing all those stupid things couples did together… and now…

Freed looked sad as he got up to go to the shower, but Laxus didn't know what to say or do to make him feel better. He just continued to sit there on the bed having forgotten all about drinking the rest of his glass of wine. _What do I really want? Really, truly?_ The lightning mage thought for a long time. _I want_ this _. I want to be a Fairy Tail mage and I want to love my best friend and have him with me all the time. Why in the hell can he not understand that? Does he think he's not worthy… or is he trying to help me save face? I did tell him I was mad about Gajeel laughing…_ Laxus grimaced. Did Freed want a public declaration of Laxus' love? Was that what it was going to take? Laxus cursed. He was a private guy. He didn't like the thought of having to tell everyone that he and Freed were an item… _But if it's what I gotta do to make him believe me. I guess I'll do it._ Laxus tried to imagine walking into the guild hall and telling everyone he had an announcement to make. 'I've got something I need to say', he imagined himself saying. I want everyone to know Freed's who I love and that we belong to each other and I don't want to hide it. _' Oh, Mavis, I must be gay,_ he thought, glowering. _I love Freed, but there is_ no way _in hell I'm saying that, not if Gajeel is within a mile. Shit, how do I explain it so it sounds less sissy?_ Laxus tried again. ' _'Old Man, Freed and I are in love'… oh, god, no!_ He paused. _'Everyone, just so's you know, me and Freed are a thing now so keep your dirty paws off him or you'll have me to deal with.'_ Laxus smiled. _I could muster the courage to say that without feeling like I traded my dick in for a pussy, but is that going to be enough to get Freed to believe me? It's like the little self-loathing bastard is trying to fine an excuse not to be with me. Like he's scared or something._ Laxus thought about this. Maybe Freed was scared. Laxus was kind of scared. _Maybe he thinks that if he's scared it means it isn't real… or maybe I just need to give it time. Or maybe I just need to yell at him till he agrees to be in a real relationship with me and not one where he plays second class citizen to some stupid chick. And did I_ ever _tell him that I wanted kids?_ Do _I want kids? They seem like more work than they're worth. Romeo is always being an ass to his dad and Asca's adorable, but she's a girl, so, of course, she's sweet. With my luck I'd end up with a boy just like me. I'm sure Dad and the Old Man would love that._

While Laxus explored the feelings and desires he locked away deep inside himself he lost track of time, but eventually realized that Freed had been in the shower for quite awhile. Wondering what was up, he walked to the bathroom door and silently opened it a crack. Freed wasn't in the shower, though the shower was running. Instead, Freed was sitting on the toilet crying.

"Freed, what's wrong," Laxus said rushing into the lavatory never once thinking that maybe Freed had the shower running because he hadn't wanted Laxus to know he was crying.

Freed sprang to his feet. "Oh, nothing, I'm fine. I just… silly… emotions… worse than a woman… I swear…"

"Are you hurt?" Laxus said.

"No, nothing like that," Freed said starting to step into the shower.

"Freed…"

"Just forget it, ok?"

"Freed, damn you, don't blow me off!" Laxus yelled and Freed froze. "You are going to tell me what's wrong or I will…" Laxus was going to say he would never speak to him again, but he knew he couldn't do that. Freed meant too much to him to threaten that, even before he realized they were in love with one another.

Laxus held out his arms and Freed ran to him burying his face in Laxus' chest and sobbed.

"I just… I love you so much…"

Laxus sighed _. I know that. Get to the part that's upsetting you, Brainiac._

"But I know that it wouldn't be right for us to be like Bisca and Alzack… we can't be and…"

"What is it that you want, Freed?"

"I want you to be happy," sniffled Freed.

"For yourself, Goober. What do you want for _yourself_?"

"Nothing. You've given me what I wanted."

Laxus frowned. "I'm not that great in the sack. One night with me should not fulfill your every desire, so out with it. What do you _really_ want?"

"I can't tell you," Freed said.

"And why's that?" Laxus said annoyed.

"Because you'll laugh."

"So what if I do? Freed has it ever occurred to you that I don't laugh much? But you make me laugh and smile… more than anyone else."

"But you'll laugh because it's not possible."

"We're Fairy Tail wizards, Freed," Laxus said stroking the back of his friend's head. "There aren't a hell of a lot of things that are impossible for us. We slept for seven years and then woke up like nothing happened. I have the soul of a dragon. You can fucking _fly_ , for god's sake! Now just get on with it. _Tell me what you want_ ," thundered Laxus.

"I want to know that it's what you want, too."

Laxus cursed, his nostrils flaring with rage. "You're really ticking me off, you know that, Freed?"

"Sorry," Freed said sniffling.

"Ok, _fine,_ " he grumbled. "I'll go first, because you know how much I love to talk." Laxus closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then without opening them said, "This is what I want: I want you to move in with me so I don't have to say goodbye to you every damn night and when we're on a mission I want a big bed for the two of us to share and _Bickslow_ to be the one by himself, and I want you to teach me something about wine so the next time I want to get a bottle for us I don't feel like such a moron. _And_ I don't want to be with anyone but you, and I don't want anyone else to so much as _look_ at you."

Laxus opened one eye to look down at the man in his arms unsure what to expect as a response.

Freed stared up at him and blinked. "You want me to be your boyfriend?"

Laxus rolled his eyes. "I hate that word… but something like that, yeah."

"Why not 'boyfriend'?" Freed asked, his curiosity making him temporarily forget his self-inflicted misery.

"Because we're _men_ , not boys. I think it's stupid for a twenty-eight year old and a thirty-year old to be 'boyfriends'."

"Partners then?"

"Only if we open a law firm together."

"Then what?"

Laxus shrugged. "I dunno, I don't think they're a word for it. Husbands… lovers…"

Freed blushed bright red. Laxus was talking about commitment. Laxus didn't commit to anything other than his guild and his teammates.

 _Is he really in love with me?,_ Freed wondered. "But Laxus you want to have kids."

"I never said that."

"You didn't need to. I know you. You love kids."

"No, I don't. They're a pain in the ass… and I'm horrible with them," Laxus said. "I scare the shit out of them."

"No, you don't."

Laxus arched an eyebrow.

"OK, sometimes you scare the crap out of them, but you're a lot better than you used to be. Asca loves you and the neighbor boy obviously idolizes you."

"The bottom line is I'm not going to marry someone else when I'm in love with you."

"But-"

Laxus growled, "Quit arguing with me!"

"But-"

"Fine, don't believe me. Be my manfriend and then you'll see. I'm not interested in anyone else and nothing is going to change that."

"But you're talking about things that-"

"Things I've never said before. I know that, but I feel differently about you and you know me better than anyone else. Wherever you are is going to be my home from now on." Freed blinked several times. "Freed, I just want to be with you. I've been an idiot and I don't want us to lose any more time. And I wasn't gonna say all this so damned soon because I knew you wouldn't believe me, but seeing you all miserable like this… I thought you should know. I want you to move in. I want us to be together and none of this sneaking around crap or only when some stupid woman isn't around."

"But what will people think?"

"Who cares? We can tell them or let them guess. I don't care. I just want to be with you… assuming you stop crying about me leaving you for some woman or another. Sure, I like women," he said with a shrug. "But I love you."

"But-"

"If we want kids we can adopt. Have you not noticed how many kids in need of a family turn up at Fairy Tail? Hell, we could have a whole clan if we wanted to. And they're kids who really need role models."

Freed laughed. "Role models, huh?"

"What? You don't think we'd be good role models for a young mage?"

"I guess?" Freed said uncertainly.

"Of course you do. Otherwise, you wouldn't have agreed to go with Wendy on that mission. You like kids, too." Laxus pointed a finger at Freed. "Maybe you're mad at me because I'm not a woman."

Freed's eyes opened wide. "I assure you that isn't-"

"Then tell me what you're really upset about," growled Laxus. "Or I'll beat it out of you."

Freed nibbled at his lip a little. "I just want to know… are you really serious Laxus?"

"Serious about wanting to be with the person I love? Yes. Serious about being about ready to smack you? That, too."

"Oh, Laxus," Freed said snuggling up closer to his Laxus. "I love you."

"Good," grunted Laxus. "Now that we have that cleared up take your shower and come to bed." And with that the Thunder God gave Freed a kiss on the cheek and headed out of the bathroom.


	12. Chapter 12:Epilogue

**Risenfromash:** I promised a fluffy epilogue to this story and then was incredibly slow in delivering it, but here it is… finally! Also, I have other Fraxus stories in the works including a couple sequels to this story and a k+ rated story called, "Meant To Be" ( or "Good Together" I can't seem to decide) that takes place when Laxus and Freed first meet one another. I'm hoping to get the first part of it up sometime this week so follow me as a writer if you want to be notified when I post it.

Finally, thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story. I found one review extremely touching and wanted to respond to it directly, but it was a 'guest' review so I couldn't PM the reviewer to let them know how much I appreciate their support. Hopefully, whoever it was will read this and know that they warmed my heart and are often in my thoughts.

Now for more silly yaoi fun.

 **Part 12: Epilogue**

Always an early riser, Freed woke up with the dawn and realized he wasn't in his dorm. He looked down at the bed. This was _Laxus'_ bed. He was in Laxus' _bed_. He whirled around, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the ginormous form of Laxus' body next to him. He hadn't imagined it. It had _actually_ happened. All of it. His best friend _had_ screwed his brains out all night and had told him he loved him and invited him to move in with him and had serious _discussions_ with him about _their future_.

Tears formed in Freed's eyes. He was so happy he could squeal, but he didn't want to wake Laxus. _I'm sure he's really tired after the workout he got last night_ , Freed thought with a devilish grin. _Oh, Mavis! Laxus and I had_ sex _! And it was amazing!_ Everything was just how he had imagined it would be, only _better_.

Freed danced out of the bedroom, high from knowing that all the feelings he had buried for so many years were now free to be expressed. His love was no longer unrequited. _Oh, Laxus, you won't regret this. I swear, I will make you_ so _happy. And I don't care if we tell people or keep it just between us. I don't care as long as we have each other. I'm the happiest man alive!_

 _The only thing that would make it perfect is if I could find my damn underwear…_ Freed searched the apartment. _This is why I tried to put all my clothes in a neat pile_ , he thought shaking his head as he recalled Laxus' impatience with him as they undressed. It was almost embarrassing to realize that Laxus lusted for him with the same intensity he did for him.

Finally, Freed managed to round up all his garments and after freshening up in the bathroom readied himself to leave. He would have liked to stay with Laxus, but he didn't want to smother his friend. He knew Laxus often liked his space the morning after and the rune mage had things he should get done. Just because they were in love didn't mean the rest of the world could be ignored. _I'll just leave him a note so he doesn't worry_ , Freed thought pulling a pen and paper from one of his bags. In a neat hand he wrote:

 _Laxus, just wanted to let you know I had to get to the bank to deposit the jewels I earned yesterday. After that I'll be at the guild hall. Feel free to join me there. Love, Freed_

 _P.S._

He wanted to write something more, something about how happy he was and how he was crying with joy and how very much he loved Laxus, but he decided that would only embarrass the lightning mage, so he crossed out the 'P.S.' and left the note as it was sans any semblance of sappiness.

The rune mage tiptoed back into the bedroom and laid the note on Laxus' bedside table before leaning over and burying his lips in the thunder god's spikey blonde hair giving him a soft kiss on the head. And then before he could change his mind he hurried from the apartment with his luggage.

A few paces from Laxus' apartment Freed realized something was wrong. Something was off. Could it be the soreness of his body after the marathon of love making he and his Laxus had- _My sword! I forgot it!_ , Freed realized and turned around, dashing back to the apartment. _Oh, good lord. I've got Laxus on the mind, don't I?_ _When have I_ ever _left my sword anywhere?,_ he thought with a silly grin.

Freed stepped to the left of Laxus' front stoop, bending over to pick up a loose cobblestone that concealed Laxus' spare key. But the key wasn't there. Freed stared in disbelief. The key was _always_ there. Laxus was more than a bit forgetful and often didn't want the bother of carrying a key with him so he used the spare frequently. Freed set down the cobblestone and checked the adjacent ones thinking he must have grabbed the wrong one by mistake, but all the other stones were set tight.

 _Bickslow! That idiot_ , the emerald-haired man groaned under his breath. _I bet you anything when he used it last week he didn't put it back_. Freed sighed. _Well, there's nothing for it. I guess I'll just wake Laxus up and have him let me back in._

Freed knocked quietly on the door and got no response, but he wasn't surprised. Laxus was a pretty deep sleeper. Freed knocked again, this time with more fervor. Then he paused for a moment and he heard noises from inside the apartment. _Oh, good, he's up. I'll just get my sword and be on my way and he can go back to bed,_ thought Freed.

A moment later the door opened and Laxus was standing there wearing only his boxers, his hair disheveled, and, to Freed's chagrin hickies all over his neck and chest.

"What the hell are you doing on the porch, Freed?" Laxus asked groggily. "And why the fuck are you dressed. I figured we could-"

"I forgot my sword," Freed said looking down at his feet, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious about the things they had done together the night before.

"Maybe that's because you shouldn't be getting up at the buttcrack of dawn on our day off," grumbled Laxus. "Come back to bed, Freed. I didn't give you permission to leave," the Thunder God said as he pulled his friend close to him, growling in a very sensual way as he pressed his body into the rune mage so that no doubt could be left in Freed's mind just how much Laxus wanted to get him back inside.

Freed's heart was fluttering, his eyes closing, his body melting into the embrace of the larger man when the two of them suddenly heard, "Uncle Freed! Uncle Laxus!"

Freed's eyes sprung open and both mages froze, their lips mere millimeters from one another's. Running down the street calling their names was Asca followed by her parents who were trying to rein her in.

"Hi!" Asca said running onto the stoop crowding the two men so that they had to get even closer to one another.

"Asca!" Bisca scolded from the street. "Don't bother Laxus and Freed. They're heading out on a job."

"No, they aren't. Laxus is only wearing his underwear. Only Gray dresses that way for missions," the little girl shouted back to her parents. "You had a sleep over, didn't you?" she asked the two men eagerly. Both mages blushed and stuttered, but no actual words came out. "Uncle Laxus what are those weird red marks all over you? You didn't try to punch a super-sucker fish, did you? Silly, Uncle Laxus," she giggled. "You gotta take 'em out from a distance. Even I know that!"

"Sorry, guys," Alzack said, his head hanging down, mortified by his daughter's intrusion into what was clearly a private moment between two of their guildmates. As he pulled her away from Laxus' front door, he hissed to her, "What did Momma and I tell you about badging up to people?"

"But Freed and Laxus aren't strangers. They're family!" Asca said turning and shouting over her shoulder. "Do you want to come to breakfast with me and Momma and Pappa? Mira Jane promised I'd get extra whipped cream on my pancakes. I bet she'd give you extra, too, if you asked."

The rune mage opened his mouth to thank the little girl for the invitation, but to his surprise Laxus beat him to it.

"Sorry, Asca," chuckled Laxus. "Freed seems to have forgotten that sleepovers aren't supposed to end till at least noon," and with a wink to Asca's parents, he added, "I gotta get him back in bed."

And with that Freed and Laxus disappeared from view headed back to continue their 'sleepover,' the bank and all other duties forgotten.


End file.
